474 SPARID^. 



b. 21" long: skin: not good state. Brixham. From Mr. Yarrell's 



Collection (cfr. Yarrell, Brit. Fish. pp. 117, 118). 



c, 20" long : stuffed. Plymouth. Presented by Lieut. H. F. Spence, 



R.N. 

 d-f. 20" long : skins. Plymouth. From Mr. Yarrell's Collection. 

 (J. 20" long : skin. Devonshire, From Mr. Yarrell's Collection. 

 h. Half-grown. Lisbon. 



i. Half-grown : stuffed. Lisbon. Presented by G. Hough, Esq. 

 h. Fine specimen. Orotava. Presented by the llev. 11. T. Lowe. 

 I. Adult : stuffed. Santa Cruz (Teneriffe). 

 m. Half-grown. Adriatic. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 

 n. Half-grown. Mouth of the Danube. 

 0, p. Adult : skins. From Mr. YarreU's Collection. 

 q. Adult : skins. From the Collection of the Zoological Society. 

 r. Half-grown : bad state. From the Haslar CoUoction. 

 s. Half-groA^Ti : stuffed. 



t, u. Young: skins: not good state. From Mr. Yarrell's Collection. 

 V. Young : not good state. Purchased of Mr. Warwick. 

 IV. Adult: skeleton. 



There is an important error in Valenciennes' description of this 

 fish, by which some of the confusion among the Sparoid fishes in 

 Yarrell's work may have originated. Valenciennes attributes eight 

 anal rays to this fish (p. 17G), whilst the figuj-e (pi. 150) correctly 

 represents nine. AU the European specimens that I have examined 

 invariably exhibited the same number, viz. nine, and by this character 

 alone Pagellus erythrinus may be readily distinguished from Pagrus 

 vulgaris, which has constantly eight only. I have seen a single 

 specimen of P. eri/thrimis, which formed an exception in having ten 

 anal rays ; but this came from the Cape, and may prove to be a sepa- 

 rate species. 



Thus, even without having the original specimens from Yarrell's 

 Collection, one could easily see that the description and the vignette 

 representing the dentition, which Yarrell has given in the article on 

 Pagrus vulgaris, were taken from specimens of Pagellus erythrinus. 



The article on the fish which he has described under the name of 

 Pagellus erythrinus is composed of several elements. The figure, 

 above all, is a copy, taken fi'om the Hist. Nat. Poiss., Cuv. 4' Val, 

 pi. 150, and, so far, there is no mistake about the fish ; but with 

 regard to the rest, cfr. Pagellus owenii, p. 478 of this Catalogue. 



Finally, there arc two other specimens in the British Museum 

 Collection, which, perhaps, are types of separate si)ecics ; but in a 

 group where it is necessary to prove the constancy of the distinctive 

 characters, and where the species arc so (hfficidt of recognition, I 

 think it better to refrain from establishing species upon doubtful 

 characters. 



Vab. ? Spec. nov. ? 

 .V. Twenty-three inches long: skin. Soutli Devon. From Mr. 

 Yarrell's Collection. — Mt>lars in both jaws irregularly arranged, 



