BRAIZE OR BECKER. 117 



the different authors since : neither Willughby nor Bloch 

 can be quoted with certainty, and Pennant refers in his 

 synonym es to both these authors, though they appear to 

 have been considering two distinct fishes, neither of which 

 accord with the true Pagnts. The name of this fish is said 

 to be derived from phagus, e phago, ' to cat, 1 from its vora- 

 city ; and its food is partly sea-weed, with shrimps and tes- 

 taceous animals. Mr. Couch says that it appears on the 

 Cornish coast in moderately deep water throughout the sum- 

 mer and autumn, but retires in winter and spring. The 

 young are but rarely seen. In the North of Ireland, at 

 Belfast Bay, Antrim, and Londonderry, a fish belonging to 

 the Sparidte is taken, called the Brazier, which is said to 

 be the Pagrus^ but may, perhaps, prove to be the Common 

 Sea Bream, Pagellus centrodontiis. M. Risso says that in 

 the Mediterranean this fish frequents deep water near rocks ; 

 and the females are full of roe in summer. 



In September 1837, the Rev. Robert Holdsworth of 

 Brixham sent me a fine specimen of this fish, one of four 

 brought in by the fishermen of that place. Dr. Parnell has 

 since given me a specimen also taken on the Devonshire 

 coast, and has lent me for my use his specimen taken in the 

 Frith of Forth. I am now, therefore, enabled to add some- 

 thing to my former account, and give a description from the 

 fish. The Rev. Mr. Holdsworth sends me word that this 

 species does not appear on that coast constantly, but only at 

 intervals, and sometimes the fishermen do not take any for 

 months. They are caught in deep water by hooks, which are 

 generally baited with muscles. There is reason to believe 

 that this is the species of Sea Bream, which in Spain, and in 

 some parts of the Mediterranean also, is called Pandora, by 

 which name it is known at Brixham, where it is also called 

 King of the Bream, and sells for half as much more as the 

 Common Sea Bream, Pagellus centrodontus, page 123. The 



