44 CORK WING. 1 



fin to the snout; jaws almost equal; gape narrow; teeth in 

 regular order, but often in irregular stages of development; ^ 

 first plate of the gill-covers serrated. I^arge scales on the 

 cheeks and body. Lateral line nearer the back, bending down 

 suddenly opposite the termination of the dorsal fin. This fin 

 is furnished with sixteen firm and nine soft rays; pectoral 

 round, fourteen rays; ventrals close together, with one firm 

 and five soft rays; anal fin three firm and nine soft rays, the 

 two last from one root; tail fourteen rays. 



Like others of this family, the Corkwing varies in its colour. 

 Upper part of the head and back usually brownish, with 

 stripes of red and green on the gill-covers; sides a faint green, 

 with numerous lightish red stripes, yellow or greenish below. 

 The fins are similarly varied, but the colours are commonly 

 fainter than in others of the Wrasses. Near the tail, close to 

 or on the termination of the lateral line, is a conspicuous 

 black spot, which is seen in the earliest stage of growth of 

 this fish, and its absence forms the only distinguishing mark 

 of the supposed species, called the Gibbous Wrass by Pennant. 

 This last-mentioned fish received its name on account of a 

 considerable elevation of its back, and consequent greater 

 depth than exists in others of this family, with a greater 

 sweep downwards to the mouth; but the almost unanimous 

 opinion of observers has concluded that it constitutes only 

 an older and perhaps better fed stage of the Common Corkwing, 

 from which the lateral spot near the tail has disappeared. It 

 has been met with of the length of nine inches, with a deeper 

 profile than is usual with the Corkwing; but I have never 

 seen the back so high as is represented in Pennant's figure. 

 Those also that have fallen under my notice have come from 

 a greater depth of water than is usual with the Corkwing. 



