45 



BAILLON'S WRASS. 



Crcnilahrus Baillonii, Gunther; Cat. Br. Museum, vol. iv, p. 81. 



This species is now for the first time introduced among 

 British fishes, and that too with some degree of hesitation; 

 but a drawing of one which came a few years since into my 

 possession, and which then appeared to differ from the ordinary 

 appearance of the Corkwmg, and especially from that variety 

 of it known as the Gibbous Wrass, conveys so near a likeness 

 to a species described by Dr. Gunther, in the "Catalogue of 

 the British Museum," above referred to, that I feel little 

 doubt of its being the same fish. To provide the requisite 

 evidence of this, and to render our account of it the more 

 complete, the observations of Dr. Gunther are here added to 

 our own description; but it is necessary to remark, that 

 whereas considerable stress is laid in these extracts from the 

 catalogue on the black marks described as existing on the 

 dorsal and anal fins, the further description distinctly shews 

 that, as well this species as the other which is said to bear a 

 close affinity to it, are liable to much variety in this respect, 

 at least as regards their distribution. 



Our example measured seven inches and a quarter in length, 

 and two inches in depth; covered with large scales, as well the 

 body as the gill-covers; a border of small scales, prominently 

 marked, round the posterior half of the eye. The profile 

 descends from the origin of the dorsal fin to the mouth; jaws 

 equal. The proportions generally as in the Corkwing, but the 

 dorsal and anal fins are carried nearer to the root of the tail. 

 Pectoral and ventral fins dusky yellow, the former with dusky 

 bars; general colour of the other fins, head, and back very 

 dark brown; on the sides longitudinal streaks from the pectoral 

 fins backward, the whole, including the root of the pectoral fin. 



