33 



ACANTHOLABEIJS. 



The body oblong, moderately compressed; dorsal spines many,, as of 

 twenty or more; anal spines more than three. 



The last particular in this generic definition is the only one in which 

 it diflfers from the other sections of the family of Wrasses; and, 

 however convenient it may be for naturalists to constitute distinctions 

 for the arrangement of a rather numerous family, it must be remem- 

 bered, that so apparently unimportant a matter, in itself also liable 

 to variation, is not sufficient to constitute a natural separation of 

 species into genera. 



SCALE-RAYED WEASS. 



Lahrus hiscus, Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, 



vol. V. 

 " " Jenyns; Manual, p. 400. 



Acantliolahrus CoucJdi, CuviER. 



" " Yaurell; Br. Fishes, vol. i, p. 336. 



" " Gunther; Cat. Br. Museum, vol. iv, p. 92. 



The earliest account of this species, (after the short note, 

 with a sketch, in Loudon's Magazine, as above referred to.) 

 is in Mr. Yarrell's "History of British Fishes;" and the scarcity 

 of this fish may be supposed, when no other had been met 

 with for a very long time. It happened, however, that as a 

 fisherman lay at anchor off the Deadman Point, on the south 

 coast of Cornwall, where the depth of water was above fifty 

 fathoms, an individual of this kind of v\^rass took his hook. He 

 was about to cut it in pieces, as is the common fate of the 

 Wrasses when made bait for other fishes, and had already cut 

 off a slice from the side, when it appeared to him that it 

 was of a sort he had not seen before: it was accordingly 

 preserved for my use. A drawing in consequence, as well as 

 a description, was taken from it; and after being preserved. 



