26*4 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



fin are tinged with blacJcJ''' this last mark decides it, as beino- 

 one of the characters peculiar to that fish. The Crenila- 

 brus Corrmbicus of Yarrell is the Labrus Cornubicus of 

 Jenyns and of Donovan ; the Carkwing of Couch, and the 

 Lutjanus Geojfruy of Risso. 



This species is readily distinguished by having a black 

 spot at the base of the tail below the lateral line, a charac- 

 ter which none of the other British Wrasses possess. 



Crenilabrus rdpestris.* — Jago's Goldsinky. 



Specific Characters. — Anterior part of the dorsal fin^ as far as the 

 fifth ray, black ; a large black spot at the base of the upper caudal 

 rays. 



Description. — From a specimen five inches in length. Head one- 

 fourth of the whole length, caudal rays included ; depth of the body 

 less than the length of the head; dorsal line nearly straight, falling 

 gradually in front from the nape to the point of the snout ; sides 

 rather compressed. Colour of the head and back yellowish-brown ; 

 sides somewhat lighter ; belly dull white ; the membranes between 

 the first four dorsal spines deep black ; a large conspicuous black 

 spot at the base of the upper part of the caudal fin ; dorsal fin com- 

 mencing in a line over the base of the pectorals and running down 

 the back to within a short distance of the base of the caudal, leaving 

 a space between, about equalling the length of the pectoral rays ; 

 the anterior seventeen rays, strong and spiny, nearly all of equal 

 length, except the first two or three which are rather the shortest ; 

 the posterior rays soft and branched, and longer than those preced- 

 ing, the middle flexible rays being half as long again as the spiny 

 rays, presenting a rounded form to that portion of the fin ; the mem- 

 brane between each dorsal spine terminating in a fine pointed fila- 

 ment ; caudal fin rounded, all the rays branched except two or three 

 of the lateral ones, which are simple ; the middle ray as long as the 

 base of the nine first dorsal spines ; pectorals rounded, the fifth and 

 sixth rays the longest, equalling the length of the base of the.anal 

 fin ; all the rays, except the first, soft and branched ; ventrals taking 

 their origin rather behind the base of the pectorals ; the first ray stout 

 and spiny, the rest soft ; the longest ray about half the length of the 



' Lahrus Cnrnubicus, Peiiri. (Description, not fip;iire.) Lutjanus 7-upestris, 

 Bloch. 



