14 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



male occasionally acquires the colouring of the male, 

 a phenomenon wliich has not however been observed 

 on the coast of Sweden. 



The Striped \\'rasse occurs on all the coasts of 

 JMirope, with the exception of the shores of the Arctic 

 ( ).cMn and the Baltic. In Norway it is still found in 

 the neighbourhood of Ti-ondhjem, l)ut how far north it 

 iroes, is unknown. In Fininnarken neither this nor any 

 other s|)ecics of the genus Lahrus occurs, according to 

 tlie investigations made in that district by Loven, Sun- 

 OEVALL, and others. On the Swedish coast it is found 

 onlv in the island-belt of Bohusliln, where it is by no 

 means a common s])ecies. In the Sound and Avithin the 

 Baltic there is no authenticated instance of its occur- 

 rence. In England and Finance, as well as in the ^vhole 

 of the Mediterranean, the species is by no means rare. 

 In Iceland and Greenland it has not been found. 



The Striped Wrasse, like the rest of the genus, is 

 a true 'rockfish'," oidv living near rocky or steep and 

 stony coasts. On low, shelving, sandy coasts it is appa- 

 rently never found. But even in the island-belt this 

 species seems to jje confined to certain fixed localities. 

 In the whole district of Lj'sekil it is said to be found 

 only among the islands known as Flatholmarne, where, 

 together with the four other species of Swedish wrasses, 

 it seems to liave its favourite haunt near a little rock 

 called ' SnuUreskdr (Wrasse Rock). According to Malm 

 it is most common in Bohuslan on the islets known 

 as VaderSar and Koster. 



In the summer the Striped Wrasse remains at a 

 depth of from 5 to 10 fathoms among rocks and stones, 

 but in winter it apparently moves to still greater depths. 

 Fries and v. Wright at all events failed to obtain a 

 single specimen during the cold season; and in Yarrell's 

 book on the fishes of England the same statement is 



made. It lives on shellfish and all other kinds of 

 marine animals, especially crayfish. In the stomach 

 of a female 300 mm. in length, -which was caught on 

 Snulti'eskilr, the islet we have just mentioned, and 

 which Sundevall had the opportunity of observing 

 in the month of July during life, he afterwards 

 found remnants of several different crustaceans and an 

 almost entire Portimus one inch in breadth, together 

 with the scales, fins and bones of some small fishes. 

 This specimen had very small ovaries containing only 

 small and newly formed eggs, from Avhich he inferred 

 that the ovaries had already discharged their contents 

 and that the spawning season must be earlier than mid- 

 summer; but he failed to obtain any more exact infor- 

 mation on this point. In Norway, on the other hand, 

 Kr0yer found the Striped Wrasse ready to spa-\vn at 

 the end of June or July; and Risso says that in the 

 Mediterranean it spawns twice a year. In England Couch 

 found females with the ova fully developed in April 

 and May, and also in July and August.* 



The flesh of the Striped Wrasse is firm and white 

 and is said to be of tolerably good flavour, but like 

 the other wrasses it is seldom eaten in Scandinavia. 

 HoAvever, it takes a bait readily (cf. the remarks on the 

 preceding species), and is occasionally caught in a net 

 or seine, but on the Scandinavian coasts it is not sought 

 after by the fishermen. 



In Bohuslan as in Norway the male is called Bld- 

 stdl, or rather Bldsfrdl (Blue-stripe), the female Bod- 

 ndhha (Red-beak). In Norway the male is said to be 

 also called Bldskal and Bldstak. In Strom's description 

 of SondmSre the female is called Bergndhha (Rock-ljeak), 

 and in Ascanius Suderndl; Nilsson also gives the na- 

 mes Eodsnacka (Red-shell) and Si/pU/a (Seamstress). 



(Sundevall, Smitt.) 



THE SMALL-MOUTHED WRASSE OR ROCK COOK (sw. guassnultran.) 



LABKUS (CENTKOLABRUS) EXOLETUS. 



Plate 1, fig. 3. 



Head naked above the eyes. Number of scales in the lateral line less than 40 (about 35). Not more than 4 reus of 

 scales above the lateral line. Interoperculum half covered with scales, naked only at the margin and in the anterior part. 

 Cheeks covered with large scales, with 4 suborbital rows. Number of spinous rays in the anal fin more than 3. 



ed. I, p. 48, tab. 9, fig. 2; Cuv., Val., (Acantliolabriis), 



V. Vs; C.x+\l+.r; 



7—6 7 12 



L. lat. 33—37. 



Syn. Labrus e.roletits, Linn.i:us, Syst. Nat., ed. X, p. 287; Nilsson, 

 Prodr. Ichth. 6'c., p. 77; Friks et Whiiiht, Shaiid. Fiskar, 



Hist. Nat. Poiss., XIII, p. 247; Nilsson, Skand. Fn. Fish., 

 p. 277; GOnther, (Centrolabrus), Brit. Miis. Cat. Fish., IV, 

 p. 92; CoLLETT, (Acatitholabrus), Christ. Vid. Selsk. Fori). 

 1874, Tilhvgsli., p. 94; Id., ibid. 1879, n:r 1. p. 61; Malm 



" Sw. skiirydrdsji.-!!,-. 

 Finlaud, etc. Tit. 



'' Day, 1. c. p. 2.08. 



Skdrgdrd is tlie Swedish name for tlie belt of small rocky islets which fringes the coasts of Norway, Bohuslan, 



