59 



in the works of Mr. Yarrell and Mr. Jenyns ; by the latter author 

 it is marked Nvitli doubt. At the šame time I could not eonsider 

 these specimens else than the young of L. maculatus, an opinion 

 which subsequent examination has tended to confirm, as in the 

 Bame individual I have seen the lineated marking of L. lineatus and 

 the spots of X,. maculatus. The specimens alluded to as corresponding 

 Avith Donovan's L. lineatus are small, as he describes the species to 

 be ; those conspicuously spotted over were large, and the indivi- 

 duals presenting partially both appearances -vvere of an intermediate 

 size ; hence it vvould appear that the L. lineatus generally* is the 

 young fish, and the L. maculatus the adult. It raust be added that 

 specimens of eaual size, taken at the šame time and place, vary 

 much in colour and in the relative depth of the body. The head 

 too is more elongated in the young than in the mature fish. 



In concluding his description of the Lauri, Pennant observes, 

 " Besides these species we recoUect seeing taken at the Giant's 

 Causeway, in Ireland, a most beautiful kind, of a vivid green spotted 

 with scarlet ; and others at Bandooran, in the county of Sligo, of a 

 pale green." He adds, " We \vere at that time inattentive to this 

 branch of natūrai history, and can only say they were of a species 

 we have never since seen." I have no hesitation in saying that the 

 beautiful kind of a vivid green, spotted \vith scarlet, was the ordi- 

 nary L. maculatus, and as little in stating my belief that the pale 

 green kind \vas also the šame species. On examining the produce 

 of one rod after a day's fishing, I have seen specimens varying from 

 the palest green to the very darkest tint of this colour. 



As the three names under which this fish appears, viz., L. linea- 

 tus, L. psittacus (-vvhen it is uniformly green), and L. maculatus, ap- 

 ply to the individual rather than to the species, and thus tend to 

 confusion, it seems to me desirable that there should be an appella- 

 tion under ■tt'hich all the varieties could be brought, and as such I 

 vi'ould suggest Labrus variabilis. 



* Crenilahrus tinca, Risso. Cren. comubicus, Risso. Cren. gib- 

 bus, Flem. In the autumn of 1835 an attentive examination of spe- 

 cimens of the C. tinca and C. cornubicus, of all sizes, and in a recent 

 State, satisfied me of their identity. The depth of C. tinca in pro- 

 portion to its length being found to vary considerably, though not 

 to the extent described in the Gibbus TVrasse of Pennant, together 

 with the general accordance pf other characters, disposed me at the 

 šame time to believe that the C. gibbus is but an accidental variety 

 of it. 



* Leuciscus Lancastriensis, Yarr. Graining. Severai very small 

 individuals of this species occurred to me in the river Leam, near 

 Leamington, in July, 1836. 



* Cobitis tania, Linn. Spined Loche. In July, 1836, when 



* I have seen some specimens of the largest size entirely green, and displajing 

 the lineation in a darker shade of this colour. 



