The Wrasse] OF ORKNEY. 215 



GENUS XVIILTRE WRASSE. 



Gen. Char. Covers of the gills scaly ; branchiostegous rays, unequal in number; 

 teeth conic, long, and blunt at their ends ; one tuberculated bone at the bot- 

 tom of the throat ; two above opposite to the other ; one dorsal fin reaching the 

 whole length of the back ; a slender skin extending beyond the end of each 

 ray ; rounded tail. 



Species 1. The Wrasse. 



Turdus vulgatissimus, Wil. Icth. 31Q. Wrasse or Old Wife, Raii Syn. Pise. 

 136. Labrus Tinea, Lin. Sys. 477. Brit, Zool. 203. Ore. Bergle. 



FOUND close in with the shores where they are highest, and 

 deep water, along with the red cod, and some others ; not 

 very often caught here, though it will take a bait. 



In shape it is short, deep, and thick, covered with very 

 large scales, the greatest, indeed, I have observed on any fish, 

 great or small. 



They are much thought of as a food ; however, are some- 

 thing coarse, and thick skinned ; are here roasted fresh, sel- 

 dom or ever salted, the quantity got being so small as not to 

 be worth curing. 



The colour is red on the sides, and yellow bellied in some, 

 while others vary, having the belly white, and only stripes or 

 spots of red on their great scales. 



