18 Fishes new to the British Fauna, 



fin round, with fourteen rays ; dorsal fin with sixteen firm 

 and nine soft rays ; ventrals close together, with six rays, the 

 outermost firm ; anal fin with three firm and nine soft rays, 

 the last two from one root ; tail slightly rounded, with four- 

 teen rays. Colour of the head and summit of the back 

 brownish ; stripes of red and green on the gill covers ; sides 

 a faint green with numerous lightish red stripes. The fins 

 are similarly variegated, but all the colours, though subject 

 to variety as in others of this genus, are fainter than in most 

 others. Near the tail, close to the termination of the lateral 

 line, is a conspicuous black mark, which is sometimes want- 

 ing ; and then it seems to me to constitute the gibbous wrass 

 of British naturalists, which is therefore only a variety of the 

 above. The iris of the eye is marked with yellow, green, 

 and crimson, in concentric circles. It rarely exceeds 4 in. in 

 length. 



The cork wing is common among rocks in shallow water, 

 where it seeks shelter among the sea-weeds ; it is often found 

 among them in pools left by the tide. It feeds on crustaceous 

 animals, and takes a bait. 



Wrass (Xa^brus Lin. lu'squs, Lin. ?). 



This specimen (Jig, 5.) was 22 in. long, the greatest depth, 

 exclusive of the fins, 2\ in., the body plump and rounded. 



Head elongated, lips membranous, teeth numerous, in several 

 rows, those in front larger and more prominent, rather in- 

 curved. Eye moderately large. Anterior gill plate serrate, 

 six gill rays. Body and gill covers with large scales. Lateral 

 line nearer the back, descending with a sweep opposite the 

 termination of the dorsal fin, thence backward straight. Dor- 

 sal fin, twenty-one firm, eight soft rays, the fin connected with 

 the latter expanded, reaching to the base of the tail ; pectorals 

 round, fourteen rays ; ventrals six rays, the outermost simple, 

 stout, firm, tipped ; between these fins a large scale. Anal 

 fin, six firm, eight soft rays, the latter a soft portion expanded. 

 Tail round, fifteen rays. Between each ray of the dorsal, 



