GEN\ PAGRUS. THE BRAIZE. J 75 



of a black spot. Common in Southern Europe, this 

 fish is rare on the British shores. It has, however, 

 been captured off the coasts of Cornwall and Devon- 

 shire and also in the Frith of Forth : it is also stated 

 to have been observed on the north-east coast of 

 Ireland, but this requires authentication. Mr. Holds- 

 worth, as stated by Mr. Yarrell, reports that it 

 does not appear on the Devonshire coast at all 

 times, but only at intervals, and sometimes the fisher- 

 men do not take any for months. They are caught 

 in deep water with hooks, generally baited with 

 mussels. This fish is known at Brixham by the 

 name of Pandora, and King of the Breams, and sells 

 for half as much more as the common Sea-bream. 

 Mr. Couch says it appears on the Cornish coasts, 

 in moderately deep water, throughout the summer 

 and autumn, but retires in winter and spring. Risso 

 states that in the Mediterranean it frequents deep 

 water, near rocks, and that the females are full of 

 roe in summer : a fine specimen, nineteen inches 

 long, was caught in the salmon-nets near Mussel- 

 burgh. It feeds on crustaceous and testaceous 

 animals, and sometimes on small fishes, acquiring a 

 size of twenty inches and upwards ; and is much 

 esteemed for the table. Above, the tinting is of a 

 blue silver colour, on the flanks bright silver, the 

 abdomen and lower fins being tinged with Vermil- 

 lion ; the dorsal and caudal fins are rose-red, and 

 the space between the eyes reddish brown. 



Gen. XVIII. Pagellus. — In this genus the ante- 



