312 LABRID.E. 



of the gill-covers, the structure and relative position of the 

 fins and fin-rays, afford the best points for specific distinc- 

 tion. The Wrasses, or Rock-fish, as they are also called, 

 inhabit principally the rocky parts round our coast, spawning 

 in spring or summer, just previously to which their colours 

 are in the highest perfection. The flesh is said to be soft, 

 and they appear not to be in general estimation as food. 



The Ballan Wrasse, Mr. Couch says, " frequents deep 

 gullies among rocks, where it shelters itself among the 

 larger kinds of sea-weeds, and feeds upon crabs and other 

 crustaceous animals. It takes a bait freely, and fishermen 

 remark that when they first fish in a place, they take but 

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

 a few days after, they catch a greater number, and those 

 smaller ; from whence they conclude that the large fish assume 

 the dominion of a district, and keep the younger at a dis- 

 tance. The spawn is shed in April, and the young, scarcely 

 more than an inch in length, are seen about the margin of 

 the rocks in shallow water through the summer.' 1 '' 



A fine specimen, eighteen inches long, and weighing three 

 pounds seven ounces, was taken in January 1831, in Swan- 

 sea Bay, of which a notice and short description was fur- 

 nished me by L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. The colour was red, 

 becoming pale orange on the belly : the body ornamented with 

 bluish green oval spots ; the fins and tail green, with a 

 few red spots : the dorsal fin had spots along the base only. 



About the same time a specimen of nearly the same size 

 was obtained in the London market, and presented to the 

 Zoological Society by Sir Anthony Carlisle. Both these 

 specimens are referred to in the first volume of the Proceed- 

 ings published by the Society, pages 17 and 34. 



The blue colours of the latter were removed with astonish- 

 ing rapidity when the specimen was placed in spirits. 



I have also seen several specimens of large size that were 



