GEN. JULIS. THE RAINBOW WRASSE. 309 



the tail. The summit of the head and back is of a 

 beautiful broAvn, mixed with blue and red ; beneath 

 this brilliant tint, there is a broad band with a den- 

 ticulated margin of beautiful orange-red, which com- 

 mences on the opercle and extends to the tail : below 

 this band, and at the origin of the gill-ray, just under 

 the first soft rays of the dorsal, the middle portion 

 of the side is coloured by a deep blue band, almost 

 black, forming a great oblong marking along the 

 flanks. This marking extends to near the tail, in a 

 band of ultramarine blue. An ultramarine streak, 

 of the loveliest hue, arises at the angle of the mouth, 

 crosses the cheek, appears at the angle of the pec- 

 toral, and is prolonged in fainter hues along the 

 inferior border of the deep blue marking of the side. 

 The dorsal fin is of an olive-colour, mixed with red, 

 having the margin light blue : a large deep blue 

 marking colours the middle of the membrane, ex- 

 tends above the first three rays, and a red bajid, 

 more or less of an orange hue, runs along the base 

 of the fin, a little way beneath the dorsal line. All 

 the varieties have also a prolonged black lateral 

 marking. 



These beautiful fishes frequent the rocky shores 

 which are covered with marine alg^e ; their flesh is 

 white, of good flavour, and easy digestion. 



