WRASSES. 183 



Family XVI. Labrid^. 



( Wrasses.) 



In this very extensive Family we find great 

 brilliancy and variety of colour, perhaps even in 

 a higher degree than in the Chaetodons. The 

 richest greens, purples, blues, yellows, and reds of 

 all degrees of intensity, in various combinations, are 

 the common hues of the Wrasses, especially of 

 those which inhabit the warmer seas; but the shores 

 of Britain and those of southern Europe produce 

 not a few, which shine in gorgeous tints, unfor- 

 tunately as evanescent as beautiful. Some shade 

 of green is perhaps the most common ground- 

 colour, and the other hues are usually disposed 

 in the form of spots or of longitudinal bands. 



Little skill suffices to recognize the Wrasses. 

 Their body is oblong, and spindle-shaped, clothed 

 with rather large scales, which do not extend 

 upon the fins. They have a single dorsal which 

 is lengthened, partly spinous, partly flexible ; the 

 spinous rays commonly shorter than the others, 

 and terminated by membranous filaments. The 

 jaws are covered by fieshy lips, often thick and 

 prominent, whence the name of the principal 

 genis has been derived, Lahrus from labruin, a 

 lip. There are three bones in the pharynx (or 

 throat), all of which are furnished .with teeth, 

 sometimes arranged like the stones of a pavement, 

 sometimes pointed, or in laminae ; but generally 

 conspicuous, and stronger than is customary in 

 fishes. The intestines are either destitute of 

 ccECiy or are furnished with two small ones : a 



