VARIETIES OF BREAM. 27 



The Spams auratus Is tlie most common in British 

 waters. It is the most brilliant of the breams, and it is 

 readily distinguished by a large dark spot on the shoulder. 

 Its colom- is flesh-red, with golden yellow reflections ; the 



SEA-BREAM {Spai'us centrocloTitus). 



usual size is from sixteen to twenty inches. It is most 

 abundant in summer, w^hen the young approach the 

 shore in multitudes, and, as they readily seize a bait, 

 they are taken by anglers fi'om the rocks. In the im- 

 mature state they are called "chads," and are without 

 the dark spot on the side. 



The Bogue (Box hoops) is a very rare British fish. 

 In August, 1870, I received a specimen from Mr. 

 Matthias Dunn, of Mevagissey, Cornwall. It was taken 

 to the eastward of Chavays Castle, Avhither it had pro- 

 bably wandered from the Mediterranean. Mr. Dunn 

 WT-'ites : "Our oldest fisherman never saw a specimen 

 like it before." This specimen measm-ed eleven inches, 

 and w^as of a most brilliant colour. It is now in my 

 museum. 



The Braize, or Becker, or King of the Sea-Bream, is 

 of a beautiful red colom-, and is said by Mr. Couch to be 

 not uncommon on the Cornish coasts in summer and 



