BALLAN WRASSE. 313 



taken on the coasts of Down and Antrim. These fish, with 

 many others, taken on various parts of the Irish coast, were 

 exhibited at the Zoological Society by William Thompson, 

 Esq. of Belfast. 



This species occurs along our eastern coast, as well as at 

 various places on the shores of Dorsetshire, Devonshire, and 

 Cornwall. A fine specimen sent to me by Dr. Johnston 

 from Berwick afforded the following measurements, and in 

 its colours had more of the orange red than the London spe- 

 cimen before mentioned : The length of the head, compared 

 to the whole length of head, body, and tail, as one to four; 

 the depth of the body alone equal to the length of the head : 

 the lower edge of the scaly portion of the cheek rounded, the 

 scales only half as large as those on the operculum ; preoper- 

 culum without scales, the horizontal and vertical edges form- 

 ing an angle somewhat obtuse, the ascending line being 

 oblique, the margin entire ; operculum broad, covered with 

 large scales, and ending in a membranous projection over the 

 upper part of the origin of the pectoral fin. The pectoral fin 

 broad and rounded ; the membranes connecting the rays of 

 all the fins spotted with verditer, rather inclining to blue 

 than green ; the fin-rays reddish orange, with six or seven 

 scales in succession between each ray of the caudal fin. 

 Back and sides bluish green, paler on the belly ; all the scales 

 margined with orange red, the margins varying in breadth 

 in different specimens, and thus producing the prevalence 

 of the blue or orange colour ; six rows of scales between the 

 lateral line and the middle portion of the dorsal fin. Head 

 and cheeks bluish green, reticulated with orange red lines ; 

 lips flesh colour ; about eighteen teeth in each jaw, conical, 

 those in front the longest ; the tail slightly rounded at the 

 upper and under corner, the tip dusky. 



The numbers of the fin-rays are 



U. 20+11 : P. 15 : V. 1 -f 5 : A. 3 +9 : C. 13. Vert. 20. 



