WRASSES. 191 



bodied animals, mollusca, naked and shelled, and 

 Crustacea, which afford to these fishes ample sus- 

 tenance. Mr. Couch's account of the habits of 

 the Ballan Wrasse is probably applicable, with 

 little variation, to all the species. '* It frequents 

 deep gullies among rocks, where it shelters itself 

 among the larger kinds of sea-weeds, and feeds 

 upon crabs and other crustaceous animals. It 

 takes a bait freely, and fishermen remark that 

 when they first fish in a place, they take but few, 

 and those of large size ; but on trying the 

 same spot a few days after, they catch a greater 

 number, and those smaller : from whence they 

 conclude that the large fish assume the dominion 

 of a district, and keep the younger at a distance. 

 The spawn is shed in April ; and the young, 

 scarcely more than an inch in length, are seen 

 about the margin of the rocks in shallow water, 

 through the summer." 



Some of the smaller species are occasionally 

 taken in the wicker pots or creels set for crabs 

 and lobsters ; these, being baited with pieces of 

 decaying flesh, or the offal of fishes, are sunk in 

 shallow water, and not unfrequently attract small 

 fishes to enter through the openings made by 

 elastic converging points ; entrance is easy enough, 

 for the slender twigs yield to the pressure of the 

 eager fish, but no sooner has it entered than these 

 spring back to their former position, and present 

 nothing but a close-set array of sharp points, which 

 effectually preclude the hope of exit. 



They are of little value, however, when caught; 

 their flesh is soft and ill-flavoured, and conse- 

 quently the fishermen do not in general bring 

 them to market, but cut them up to bait the 



