71 



move about very slowly ia the water, but show great activity 

 when disturbed. They drop from the shell very promptly, 

 as soon as the oyster is taken out of the water. 

 Acad Coll. 



TAUTOGOLABRUS, Guenther. 

 T, adfipersus, 



Biirgall or Bergall Conner or Conner. 

 Chogset. Blue Fish or Blue Perch. 



Body elongated, compressed. The height of the body is 

 equal to, or rather more than, the length of the head, and is 

 contained three times and one-third or three times and two- 

 thirds in the total length. Scales large, adherent, subquad- 

 rate, rounded on the exposed margin ; five or six series of 

 small scales on the cheek. Lateral line near the back, con- 

 current with it, and not much curved, descending rather 

 suddenly opposite the termination of the dorsal fin. Head 

 gradually sloping ; the facial line slightly convex before the 

 dorsal fin. Opercle with a large and obtusely pointed mem- 

 brane. Preopercle finely denticulated on its posterior mar- 

 gin. Mouth protractile, with fleshy lips. A series of sixteen 

 to eighteen acute teeth in the upper, and from twenty to 

 twenty-two in the lower jaw ; those in front somewhat re- 

 curved. The dorsal fin commences with a short spine, nearly 

 above the gill openings ; the first eighteen rays are spinous, 

 lower in front, and very gradually increasing in length ; the 

 remaining ten ra3's are branched, higher, with a rounded 

 margin to that part of the fin, nearly conterminous with the 

 anal fin. Pectorals broad and rounded. Yentrals just 

 behind the pectorals, with one stout spinous ray. Anal fin 

 longer than high, with three stout spines. Caudal short and 

 rounded ; its base covered with scales. Colors very variable. 

 Geoeral color blue, more or less mixed with brown; faint 



