12 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



teeth, as in the other species of this sub-family, are thick 

 and conical, and are set in a simple row; the front 

 teeth arc the largest, tliey are curved and project 

 sliglitly. In the lower jaw tlie middle pair are a little 

 smaller than the teeth on each side of them, in the 

 upper jaw they ai'c the largest of all. On each side 

 of the upper jaw 13, on each side of the lower jaw 16 

 teeth, at most; the 5 liack teeth in l)oth jaws fairly 

 small, ^^'itllin this row another irregular but simple 

 and complete row of small ])ut strong teeth wliich in 

 tlic living fish are entire]}- hidden in the gums. The 

 pharyngeals densely covered with cylindrical, straight 

 and blunt teeth. No teeth on the vomer, the ])alatine 

 bone or the tongue; and the folds of skin (w/rt) within 

 the mouth, as in all Lal^ri, of considerable size. The 

 branchiostega] membrane, as in the other species, large; 

 it encircles the thi'oat witli a broad, free margin and 

 is furnished on each side with 5 slightly curved, fine 

 rays. The gill-cover free up to the lateral line. The 

 hind margin of the preoperculum generally without serra- 

 tion; but in some specimens, and especially in the fe- 

 males, it is finely denticulated, almost as in Lahrns 

 rupestris, etc., which Cuvier on this account referred 

 to distinct genera. 



The scales are large and almost rectangular, with 

 their free edge somewhat rounded and the breadth about 

 ■V4 of the length, but they overlap each other to a great 

 extent. Theii- central area is very large, occupying 

 about lialf the length and breadth of the scale, and 

 densely punctate. In the posterior ](art of tlie scale 

 the striation is concentric with the margin, but late- 

 rally it is slightly oblique, and in the anterior part 

 runs from the margin inwards. The longitudinal stria- 

 tion is visible only in the anterior part, the margin of 

 wliich is deeply denticulated. In the transverse line 

 from the lateral line to the dorsal fin there are 6 scales, 

 and Ix'twccn the forme)' and the ventral fins 19 or 20. 

 'i'hc lateral line, which runs parallel to the dorsal line 

 and follows the curve (jf the back, as in all the Scan- 

 dinavian species of this genus, contains 46 or 47 scales 

 furnished with a small duct curving slightly upwards. 

 In the posterior jjart of the lateral line the scales are 

 nnieh more crowded than in the anterior part, and they 

 advance over the caudal lin. The continuations of the 

 lateral line on the head consist of very fine pores in 

 the same position as in most other fishes. The vent 



is a little Ijehind the middle point of the body below 

 the 16th dorsal ray. 



The dorsal fin commences just over the extremity 

 of tlie gill-cover. It is of uniform height, with the first 

 ray a little shorter and some of the hind ones slightly 

 longer than the rest. The first 16, 17, or 18 hard, 

 unarticulated and pungent, with a membranous flap 

 {r amentum), as usual, behind the point; the others, from 

 11 to 13 in number, articulated, the first simple, the 

 second and third divided, the others with a further 

 division of their hind Ijranch. The last is so deeply 

 divided that one may easily take it for t^vo rays. In 

 both sexes the proportion of these rays is inconstant. 



being 1TVT3, 



17 

 13 



16 

 Ti' 



or 77, making 30 or 31 in all. 



The anal fin is right opposite the posterior part 

 of the dorsal, commencing at the 17th ray, and is of 

 about the same depth and shape, liut the spinous rays, 

 which are 3 in number, gradually diminish in size 

 towards the beginning of the fin. It has 11 soft rays, 

 seldom 10 or 12, the first or both the first and second 

 simple, the last, as usual, double. The length of the 

 anal fin is considerably greater than in the preceding 

 species; it is about Ve of the length of the body". 



The pectoral fins broad and short, about ^/g of the 

 head in length, obtusely rounded, ^vith 16 rays, seldom 

 17. The first ray comparativelj' short and simple, the 

 second simple and a little shorter than the third, fourth 

 and fifth which are divided; the rest are doublj' and more 

 deeply divided; the last gradually diminish in length. 



The ventral fins are inserted a little behind the 

 pectorals, commencing underneath them at about their 

 middle point, and '/,, or Vu ''s long again as tliey; they 

 have, as usual, 6 rays, the first of ^vhich is hard a,nd 

 pungent and about "/g of the fin in length; the others 

 articulated and three times doubly divided; the third 

 longest, the last almost as long as the first. 



The caudal fin scaly at the liase, short, the ex- 

 tremity straight Avith rounded corners. It has 11 rays 

 of equal length, trebl}' and deeply divided, and on each 

 side one somewhat shorter simple ray, together Avith 

 3 very short and indistinct supporting rays. 



The internal organs resemble those of the preceding 

 species. In the month of July Sundevall found in the 

 ovaries a large number of ne-wl}- formed, small eggs. The 

 peritoneum, as in the Ballan Wrasse, thin and Avhitish. 



18.3 %. 



" In iiioiisurKl si.etimi'iis the length of tlio base was on mi average 17.3 °» of tlie total length; the mininium was 15.6 "/„, the niaxiiii 



