276 LABRID.E. 



inhabit principally the rocky parts round our coast, spawning 

 in spring or summer, just previously to which their colours 

 are in the highest perfection. The flesh is said to be 

 soft, and they appear not to be in general estimation as 

 food. 



The Ballan Wrasse, Mr. Couch says, " frequents deep 

 gullies among rocks, where it shelters itself among the 

 larger kinds of sea-weeds, and feeds on crabs and other 

 crustaceous animals. It takes a bait freely, and fishermen 

 remark that when they first fish in a place, they take but 

 few, and those of large size ; but on trying the same spot 

 a few days after, they catch a greater number, and those 

 smaller; from whence they conclude that the large fish 

 assume the dominion of a district, and keep the younger 

 at a distance. The spawn is shed in April, and the young, 

 scarcely more than an inch in length, are seen about the 

 margin of the rocks in shallow water through the summer. " 



A fine specimen, eighteen inches long, and weighing three 

 pounds seven ounces, was taken in January 1831, in Swan- 

 sea bay, of which a notice and short description was fur- 

 nished me by L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. The colour was red, 

 becoming pale orange on the belly ; the body ornamented 

 with bluish green oval spots ; the fins and tail green, 

 with a few red spots ; the dorsal fin had spots along the base 

 only. 



About the same time a specimen of nearly the same 

 size was obtained in the London market, and presented to 

 the Zoological Society by Sir Anthony Carlisle. Both 

 these specimens are referred to in the first volume of the 

 Proceedings published by the Society, pages 17 and 34. 



The deep blue colours of the latter were removed with 

 astonishing rapidity when the specimen was placed in spirits. 



I have also seen several specimens of large size that were 



