WRASSES. 



ventral fins, which arc placed a little hehind the pector- 

 al and rounded at the extremity in the same way, 

 consist of 1 spinous ray and 5 ai-ticulatcd soft rays. 

 The caudal tin is straight (neither concave, nor convex) 

 at the extremity, with slightly rounded corners and 

 broad base. It consists of 1 1 thick branched rays with 

 one undivided ray, extending to the hinder margin of 

 the fin, on each side of them, and a number of simple 

 supporting rays, three of which may generally be dis- 

 tinguished without difficulty. Between the roots of 

 the former rays the fin-membrane is covered with im- 

 bricate scales. 



As the colouring of this species is very diversified 

 and variable, it is by no means easy to give a descrip- 

 tion applying equally well in all cases. As a rule we 

 ma}' di\ide the Ballan Wrasse into two varieties, the 

 dark and the Ikiht. The former is represented in the 

 figure. Its pi-evailing colour is green, which becomes 

 lighter towards the belly and there has a bluish tinge. 

 On the sides are several large dark spots, which are 

 faintly marked and vary in number, size, and colour. 

 The scales are edged Avith orange, on the lower part 

 of the sides inclining to yellow and higher up to brown. 

 Under the chin and breast irregular wavy stripes of 

 the same orange tint. The iris green Avith an orange 

 ring next the pupil and another similar ring round the 

 outer margin. The dorsal fin green Avith a network of 

 chocolate-brown spots bet\veen the rays. The ra}'s of 

 the anal fin oi'ange, and the tin covered with round 

 blue spots on a russet gi"ound. The first ray and the 

 membrane of tlie ventral fins bright yelloAV, the other 

 rays l)lue Avith the points bright yelloAV, and here and 

 there a dash of the same colour. The caudal fin green 

 with a bluish tinge towards the base, and covered with 

 a network of russet lines. The raj's of the pectoral 

 fins orange, and the fins themselves spotted with blue, 

 especially at the base. The principal colour of the 

 lighter variety is yellowish brown with brown spots; 

 the belly is whitish, and the edges of the scales brown. 

 There are three brown spots on the posterior part of 

 the back which are especially remarkable for their size; 

 the first and largest is just below the middle of the 

 dorsal fin, the last and next in size at the end of this 

 fin. To this variety belong all younger specimens, and 

 betAveen the two varieties there are innumerable states 

 of transition, which are probably due to local circum- 

 stances and do not depend on the season of the year 

 or the sex of the fish. 



Scandinavian Fishes. 



The intestinal canal is very simple: it consists of 

 a tube which decreases in Avidth with almost jjerfect 

 regularity, and there is no stomachic dilatation, no ex- 

 tei-nally distinct pylorus, and no pyloric appendages. This 

 iiitcstiiiai \\\\)o has thin walls with tlic inner surface co- 

 \ered witii n network of folds, and widens suddenly into 

 a faii-l}' large rectum. The spleen large and triangular. 

 The liver consists of three lobes, the middle one very 

 large and lying lengthAvise in the belly a little to the left, 

 the tAvo others, one on each side, very small and short. 

 The gall-bladder small and narroAV, and of almost uni- 

 form width. Tlio air-bladder large but short, and 

 fastened by a strong membrane to the u])pei- wall of 

 the abdominal cavity. The ovaries and testicles double. 



On the coast of NorAva}' u]) to Bergen and in the 

 island-belt of BohuslSn the Ballan Wrasse is not rare, 

 though seldom met Avith in any considerable nund^er. 

 It is also found along the Avhole Avest coast of Europe 

 and the north-Avestern extremitA' of Africa, as Avell as 

 in the Mediterranean. In the western parts of the Baltic 

 it is rare, but has been observed seA'eral times; and 

 from the fishing-station of Kivik in Scania Lector L. J. 

 Wahlstedt has obtained a specimen 260 nun. in length, 

 Avhich Avas taken in the beginning of November, 1878, 

 and is noAv in the Royal Museum. 



The Ballan \\'rasse generally remains close to the 

 steepest cliffs and selects a place of refuge at their 

 foot. Here it confines itself to Avater of a middling 

 depth, varA'ing to some extent according to the age of 

 the fish. The young fishes may often be seen in tAvo 

 feet of Avater, seeking their food and at the approach 

 of danger concealing themselves among the seaAveed 

 Avhich groAvs on the rocky bottom. The older Avrasses 

 live in deeper Avater, but may be met Avith at a depth 

 of from 6 to 10 fathoms. They have their favourite 

 haunts in the island-belt Avhere one is ahvays sure of 

 finding them, Avhile at other spots, ap])arently quite the 

 same in nature, one looks for them in vain. Thus, in 

 the inmost part of the island- belt and on the outer 

 edge, at least to the seaAvard side of the rocks, they 

 never occur. Their food consists of small fishes, cray- 

 fish, and moUusks. 



The bodA' of the Ballan Wrasse is, as Ave have 

 seen, fjiirly thick and plump; its fiesh is Avhite, firm, 

 and of good flavour, though a little sAveetish. In Bohus- 

 lan it is little esteemed, and in many places is only 

 eaten by the poorer part of the population A\ho first 

 split the fish and then drv it in the sun. Consequently 



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