396 PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT. [LABRUS. 



73. L. trimaculatus, Gmel. (Trimaculated Wrasse.) 

 Ascending margin of the preopercle oblique : dorsal with 

 the posterior rays a little the longest : body red ; with three 

 dark spots on each side, two at the base of the dorsal fin, 

 and one between the dorsal and the caudal. 



L. trimaculatus, Gmel. Linn. torn. i. part iii. p. 1294. Shaw, Nat. 

 Misc. vol. xix. pi. 786. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. HI. pi. 49. Turt. 

 Brit. Faun. p. 99. L. carneus, Block, Ichth. pi. 289. Trimaculated 

 Wrasse, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 248. pi. 46. Id. (Edit. 1812.) 

 vol. in. p. 336. pi. 56. Red Wrasse, Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. I. p. 286. 

 La Vieille couleur de chair, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 256. 



LENGTH. From eight to twelve inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Oblong, elongated, and rather slender; the back 

 and profile nearly in a straight line: snout longer and more produced 

 than in either of the two last species : greatest depth contained about 

 four times and a half in the entire length : teeth numerous, conical, the 

 anterior ones longest : ascending margin of the preopercle oblique, form- 

 ing with the basal a much more obtuse angle than in the L. variegatm : 

 course of the lateral line rather above one-fourth of the depth : dorsal 

 and anal much as in L. variegatus ; the former with the posterior rays 

 a little the longest : anal terminating a little before the dorsal : caudal 

 even, or very slightly rounded, with rows of scales between the rays : 



D. 18/13; A. 3/11; C. 13; P. 15 ; V. 1/5. 



(Colours.) "Pervading colour a fine orange, varying to red upon the 

 back, and becoming paler and whiter towards the belly : dorsal and 

 tail a rich orange ; the former strongly marked with dark purplish black, 

 and prettily edged with blue ; the rest of the fins of a paler hue : the 

 three dark spots at the posterior extremity of the back of a rich blackish 

 purple ; contiguous to these are four other spots of a delicate rose-colour ; 

 two disposed in the space between the three dark ones, and the third 

 and fourth placed one at each extremity of the outermost ones, so as 

 to form together a series of seven spots, alternately of a pale rose-colour 

 and a very deep purple." DON. 



Apparently a rare species in the British seas. Pennant's specimen 

 was taken on the coast of Anglesea; Donovan's on the south coast of 

 Devonshire near Exmouth. It has also occurred in Cornwall, and in the 

 Frith of Forth. Obs. Fleming has erroneously considered this species 

 and the Striped Wrasse as mere varieties of the L. maculatus. 



(12.) L. bimaculatus, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 477. Bimaculated 

 Wrasse, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 247. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. HI. 

 p. 335. 



This must be considered a very doubtful species, especially as British. 

 Pennant does not appear to have seen it himself, but to have inserted it 

 simply on the authority of Brunnich, who is said to have observed it at 

 Penzance. No one has met with it since. 



(13.) Cook (i.e. Coquus) Cornubiensium, Ray, Syn. Pise. p. 163. f. 4. 

 Penn. Brit. Zool.vol. in. p. 253. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 340. 

 Lab. Coquus, Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 99. Flem. Brit. An. p. 209. 



Ray's description of this species, which is one of those discovered by 

 Mr. Jago on the coast of Cornwall, is so short and imperfect as hardly to 



