294 ACANTHOPT. FAIMILY OF WRASSES. 



the upper jaw longer than the lower, and the lateral 

 line curved on its approach to the tail. Colonel 

 Montague captured a fish every way corresponding 

 to this description on the Devonshire coast, and M. 

 Valenciennes procured one from the coast of Brit- 

 tany. Mr. Thompson, from observations made on 

 specimens of this fish procured on the coast of Ire- 

 land, is inclined to consider it as the young of the 

 Ballan Vfrasse. 



(Sp. 83.) L. inixtuB. The Cook Wrasse, or Blue- 

 striped Wrasse. This species is well known in the 

 Mediterranean, and on the western and northern 

 coasts of France ; also on the shores of England and 

 Ireland. Mr. Yarrell states that it is liable to some 

 variation as to its colours and markings (i. 317); 

 whilst M. Valenciennes says, " la distribution des 

 ses colours ne change point," (xiii. 54) : Mr. Yarrell 

 remarks that the general form of the body and fins 

 is permanent, (ib.) ; M. Valenciennes writes, " nous 

 trouvons des varietes de plus sensibles en comptant 

 le nombres sur different individus," — the dorsal rays 

 being, in different specimens, 18/12, 18/11, 17/12, 

 16/12, and 16/14. The Parisian Ichthyologist has 

 carefully examined about twenty individuals, and 

 any variety of colouring he finds limited merely to 

 tlie tints being more or less extended. The body 

 and head of the Cook Wrasse are larger than those 

 of the Ballan, and the tail is not compressed ; the 

 muzzle is more acute, and the eye somewhat larger. 

 The colours are very lively and brilliant : the head 

 and anterior half of the back are -greenish, verging 



