SKA-PERCH. 



45 



THE SEA-PERCH (sw. iiafsabokue.n). 



ROCCUS LABRAX. 



Fig. 11. 



Sjjines on the inferior margin of prcopercnlum pointing fonvards, and fewer Out larger than those on the poste- 

 rior margin. Scales on the head, at least those on the anterior part of the forehead and on the cheeks, cycloid. 



The shaft of the vomer without teeth. 



Fig. 11. Sea-perch {Eocctis labra.v) from Bohusliin. '., nat. size. 



B. hr. 7"; D. 9 — ; .4. ^; P. 2 + 15 + 1''; V. \; C. .r + 15 

 14 11 o 



+ x^; L. lat. G5 — 72'. 



Syn. Ferca Labrax, LiN., Syst. Nat., ed. X, torn. I, p. 290; Schager- j 

 strOm, Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1829, p. 95, tab. Ill, figg. 5—7; 

 NiLss., Prodr. Ichth. Sc, p. 81 ; Id., Sk-and. Fn. Fisk., p. 16. 



Centropomus lupus, Lacep., Hist. Xat. Poiss., IV, p. 267; 

 Cuv., Val. (Labnix), Hist. Xat. Poiss., II, p. 56, tab. 11; 

 Kr., Damn. Fiske, I, p. 2.3; Gthb, Brit. Mus. Cat., Fish., 

 I, p. 03; Steind., Szber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, LVI, 1(1867), 

 p. 606; Coll., Norg. Fiske, p. 15; Cedehstrom, Of vers. 

 Vet.-Akad. Forh. 1876, n:r 4, p. 64; Lillj., Sv. Xorg. Fn., 

 Fisk., I, p. 55; Winth., Natiirh. Tidskr. Kjobenh., 1879, p. 

 6; Id., Zool. Dan., Fiske, p. 3, tab. I, fig. 2. 



Labra,t Linnei, Malm, Gbgs, Boh. Fn., p. 379. 



Ill the colouring of it.s body the Sea-perch resem- 

 l)les the Salmon. The back is grayish black with a 

 steel-blue lustre, the sides bright silver but this bright- 

 ness tinged with a brassy yellow. The belly white. 

 The unpaired and the pectoral fins, according to Malsi, 

 of the same gi-ayish black colour as the back. The 

 ventral fins of the same colour as the belly. A black 

 spot on the upper part of the gill-cover. Blanchere'' 

 describes the dorsal fins as rose-coloured, the pectoral 

 and ventral fins as yellowish. The lateral line, according 

 to ^Iai.m, is gi-ayish Avhite and coasted above and below 

 by a very fine, lilackish line. During youth, according 



" In a specimen from Bohusliin there are only 6 branchiostegal rays. With respect to this abnormity we may point out that a spe- 

 cimen of Ilocais lineatus from the Potomac has 7 rays in the left branchiostegal membrane, but 8 in the right, while a specimen of R. 

 americanus from Connecticut has 7 rays in the left branchiostegal membrane and in the right. 



» Sometimes ^^ or ^-^. 



"■ Sometimes — - or . 



10 1 + 10 



Of the whole genus Roccus Day {Fish. G:t Brit., Irel., I, p. 8) remarks: "The number of anal spines 



has been observed to be inconstant." 



•^ Or 2 + 14 + 1, or 2 + 14. or 2+15, or 2 + 16 + 1. 



' In the specimen of R. lineatus from the Potomac which is mentioned above, C. jr + 13+.r. 



^ Excluding tin- small scales on the caudal fin which belong to the lateral line. 



9 Diet. Gen. d. Peches p. 75. 



