of Fishes found in Cornwall. 81 



coloured line runs from the eye to the tail ; the anterior bone 

 of the gill-cover has a smooth margin, but in the L. Tinea it is 

 finely serrated ; the lateral line also forms an acute angle at 

 its curve, pointing downward in the Tinea ; in this species 

 it has a gentle curvature ; it has twenty spinous rays in the 

 dorsal fin. The colour of the back is a dark brown, lighter 

 at the sides, saffron-coloured on the belly. It is common*. 



Sci^NA. 



Basse. S. Lahrax. — This fish is particularly fond of Onisei, in 

 pursuit of which it ventures among the rocks in the midst 

 of a tempest, as at that time these insects are frequently 

 washed from their hiding-places. It also devours sea- 

 weeds. 



Stone Basse. — This species, which is common in more southern 

 latitudes, and appears to be the Pagrus totus argenteus 

 D. Sloane, Ray Syn. Pise. i. 32, approaches the Cornish 

 coasts under peculiar circumstances. When a piece of tim- 

 ber covered with Bernacles is brought by the currents from 

 the regions which these fishes inhabit, considerable numbers 

 of them sometimes accompany it. In the alacrity of their 

 exertions they pass over the wreck in pursuit of each other, 

 and sometimes, for a short space, are left dry on the top, 

 until a succeeding wave bears them off again. From the 

 circumstance of their being usually found near floating 

 wood covered with Bernacles, it might be supposed that 

 this shell-fish forms their food ; but this does not appear to 

 be the case, since in many that were opened nothing was 

 found but small fishes. Perhaps these young fishes follow 

 the floating wood for the sake of the insects that accom- 

 pany it, and thus draw the Stone Basse after them. 



* This appears to be a variety of Labrus Julis, 

 VOL. XIV. M GaSTE- 



