LABRID^. 255 



the normal form but the vertical fins having blue spots. The comber has a white 

 lateral band along the body from the eye to the base of the caudal fin. 



Names. Bergle, Orkneys : Ballan-wrasse, sea-swine, Moray Firth, owing to 

 its making a squeaking noise like a pig. John-rda, Cornwall (Cornish) : Old or 

 ancient tvife, old ewe, servellan wrasse, and sweet lips (Yorkshire Vertebrata) : 

 or rath raagh, Cornwall: Gtvrach, "old woman," Welsh. 



In Ireland, bavin on the north-east coast : morrian and murranroe near the 

 Giants' Causeway : gregagh in the north. La vieille commune, French. De lipvisch, 

 Dutch. 



Habits. It resides in moderately deep water on a rocky shore, and prefers the 

 vicinity of sea- weed into which it retreats on being alarmed. At Lossiemouth, 

 Moray Firth, it is found most frequently during the summer months in company 

 with the Saithes, Oadus virens. But it has been observed that these wrasses 

 when of certain sizes, and, therefore, it may be presumed ages, associate together, 

 the largest forms not permitting the smaller ones to intrude. It eats shrimp-like 

 Crustacea, worms, and even limpets. Thompson remarks that near Holywood, 

 during an easterly gale in February, 1838, numbers, perhaps five hundred, and no 

 other fish, were thrown up dead on the shore. 



Means of capture. Will take a bait very readily, which it gorges. Buckland 

 observed that during the month of September it gives excellent sport as follows : 

 Take along piece of string, unravel about a couple of yards of the end, so that there 

 is a single strand only. To this tie a common beach pebble, attach the hooks to the 

 string, so that when in the water they shall stand at right angles to it. Coil up 

 the string neatly on to the rock ; swing the stone round three or four times, let 

 it go suddenly, and it will carry the string, hooks, and all well in among the rocks 

 and weed. When you have a bite, strike smartly. As you are fishing among 

 rocks, the probability is that the stone will get jammed ; pull smartly, and break 

 the single strand, leaving the stone in the sea. 



In Galway, Mr. McCalla says, this fish is a favourite food, and fished for as 

 follows : A spot is selected near a sunken rock, sometimes as much as twelve 

 miles out at sea, where there is a foul bottom and often thirty fathoms of water : 

 here a stone is used as an anchor and a pebble to sink the line with, and which 

 is only loosely attached in order that it may drop off should it stick in the fissure 

 of a rock. For this occupation the day time is invariably chosen and fine weather. 

 According to Couch, Cornish fishermen remark that when they first fish a place, 

 they take but few, and those of large size : but on trying the same spot a few 

 days subsequently, they catch a greater number, and those smaller ; from which 

 circumstance they conclude that the large fish assume the dominion of a district 

 and keep the smaller ones at a distance. 



Baits. Worms or a soft crab being one which has lately left his shell, or 

 shell-fish, or even sea- weed. 



Breeding. In Galway about June, along the south coast from May until 

 July. Parnell found one taken at Hopetown in August full of spawn ready for 

 depositing : while along Cornwall Couch found it to breed in April. M. Moreau 

 (iii, p. 102) observes that this sptcies, and likewise the L. mixtus, form nests for 

 the reception of their eggs (as described at page 25/). 



Diseases. H. Couch saw one taken, which weighed 4| lb. and was blind in 

 both eyes from, he thought, cataract : he also observed that old ones are very 

 liable to loose their sight due to opacity of the cornea. They are much infested 

 with Lernea. 



As food. Generally not much esteemed, but according to Low is much prized 

 in the Orkneys, although it is sometimes coarse and thick-skinned : it is roasted 

 fresh, and seldom or never salted. We are told that it forms a favourite dish in 

 Galway, but is little prized in Belfast. Parnell observes that it is occasionally 

 brought to the Edinburgh market for sale, but is not sought after as its flesh is 

 white, soft, and very insipid. 



Uses. Bait for crab or lobster pots. 



Habitat. From the coasts of Scandinavia, Denmark, and the European shores 



