310 PISCES. 



sometimes the yellow colour predominates. [This species is numerous upon the British shores, though they are 

 not very often caught ; and from the variations of their colours they are not easily identified. They frequent deep 

 pools among the rocks, hide themselves in fuci, and are understood to feed chiefly on Crustacea. If the fishermen 

 know their haunts, they take a bait freely ; and, according to the report of Mr. Couch, the first taken are always 

 the largest. They frequent the rocky shores only. They spawn in April; and the fry, which are then of small 

 size, remain among the rocks during the summer. It is understood that the blue colour, which appears to be 

 characteristic of the high condition of the fish, is very evanescent. L. lineatus, the Lineal streaked, is more 

 clouded ; has irregular bands along the flank, the ground of which is reddish ; and the dorsal spines are less nume- 

 rous, and the soft part of the fin lower, than in the former species. This species is named as a British fish, but it 

 appears to be exceedingly rare. L. variegatus, the Blue-streaked, is one of the most beautiful of the family, of an 

 orange red, paler on the belly, having the sides and irides striped with fine blue. The lips are capable of great 

 extension, and there is a single row of pointed teeth in each jaw. It is found in the British seas, but only on the 

 south and south-west coasts. L. vetula, is also named as a British fish. It is dark purple, black on the upper 

 part, paler on the belly, and has the fore part of the head flesh-coloured, tinged with purple, and the eyelid blue. 

 Few specimens have been met with on the British shores, and those of comparatively small size. Perhaps it is the 

 Merula of Gnielin. L. earnetts, the Three-spotted Wrasse, red lish in the colour, with four light spots, and three 

 black ones intermediate, extending from the middle of the dorsal to the root of the caudal. It belongs to the 

 Mediterranean, but has been found on the Channel-coast of England, in the Firth of Forth, and even on the coast 

 of Norway, and in the Baltic. There are various other species ; but, as we have said, they are not easily distin- 

 guished from each other, in consequence of the change of colour to which they are subject.] 



Cheilinus, differs from Labrus, properly so called, in having the lateral line interrupted at the end of the dorsals, 

 where it recommences a little lower down. They are beautiful fishes, inhabiting the Indian seas. 



Lachnolaimut, (Captains), have the general character of Labrus ; but their pharynx has no pavement-like teeth, 

 except in the posterior part,— the remainder of them, as well as a part of the palate, being covered with a villous 

 membrane. They are easily known by the first spines of the dorsal, which extend in long flexible threads. They 

 are American fishes. 



Julis, have the head entirely without scales, and the lateral lino forming a curve near the end of the dorsal. 

 There are some in the Mediterranean, but they are more numerous in the tropical seas. [They arc generally 

 small but beautiful fishes: some are violet, some bright scarlet, some rich green, and some marked with golden 

 colour; and those which have the caudal fin rounded, or truncated, have the first dorsal rays extended in long 

 filaments.] 



Anampses, have the character of the last, with the exception of two flat teeth, which project from the mouth, 

 and curve upwards. The two known species are from the Indian seas. 



Crenilabntt. These fishes are separated from the Lutjanus of Bloch, to arrange them in their proper place. 

 They have the true characters of Labrus, both external and internal ; and dift'er only in having the border of the 

 pre-operculum toothed. Some species are found in the North Sea, such as Lutjanus ruprestw of Bloch, yellow, 

 with clouded bands ranged vertically, and blackish ; /.. norvegicus, brownish, irregularly marked with deep brown; 

 L. nielops, orange, spotted with blue, and a black spot behind the eye ; L. exoletus, remarkable for five spines in 

 the anal fin. The Mediterranean furnishes a number, most beautifully coloured, the most splendid of which is 

 L. lapina, silvery, with three broad longitudinal bands, composed of Vermillion dots, with the pectorals yellow and 

 the ventrals blue. They are also abundant in the tropical seas; and many species, hitherto included in the genus 

 Labrus, ought to be placed here. [Several species of this subgenus occur in the British seas, the chief of which 

 are — CvanUabrus tinea, the Gilt-head ; C. eorneticut, the Gold-sinny ; C. gibbus, the Gibbous Wrasse ; and C. leusias, 

 the Scale-rayed Wrasse ; but they are all small fishes, in little or no estimation.] 



Coricus. This subgenus has all the characters of the last, in addition to which the mouth is little less protractile 

 than in the next. Only one small species is known, which inhabits the Mediterranean. This genus is removed 

 from Sparus, in order to be placed near the preceding ones. 



Epibulus. These fishes are remarkable for the extreme extension which they can give to their mouth by means 

 of a see-saw motion of their maxillaries, and the sliding forward of the intei mamillaries, which instantly forms a 

 kind of tube. They make use of this artifice for seizing small fishes which pass near this curious instrument ; and 

 the same artifice is resorted to by the Coryci, the Zei, and the Smares, according to the degree of protractility of 

 the mouth. The entire body and head of this subgenus are covered with large scales, the last track of which ad- 

 vances upon the anal and caudal fins, as in Cheilinus. The lateral line is similarly interrupted as in the latter ; 

 and, as in Labrus, there are two long conical teeth in the front of each jaw, followed by smaller blunt ones. The 

 known species is from the Indian seas, and is of a reddish colour. 



Clepticus. This subgenus has a small cylindrical snout, which is suddenly advanced forward, but which is not 

 so long as the head. The teeth are small, and barely perceptible to the touch ; the body is oblong ; the lateral 

 line continuous ; and the dorsal and anal are enveloped in scales nearly to the top of the spines. One species, of a 

 red colour, and from the West Indies, is the only one known. 



Gomphosus. These Labridae, with the head entirely smooth, as in Julis, have the muzzle in the form cf a 

 tube, composed of the prolonged maxillaries and intermaxillaries, as far as the small opening of the mouth. Several 

 species are taken in the Indian Ocean, and the flesh of some is considered delicious. 



Xirichthys, resemble Labrus in their general form, but are much compressed. The forehead descends towards 

 the mouth with a sharp and almost vertical line, formed by the ethmoid and the ascending branches of the inter- 

 maxillaries. Their bodies have large scales ; their lateral line is interrupted; their jaws are furnished with conical 



