44^ DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



very pretty fish with a smooth skin. We have 

 four species of them. 



The third family, that of the labroidece com- 

 prehends several genera; they have long and 

 scaly bodies. The first genus, that of the labrus, 

 is characterized by the thickness of its fleshy 

 lips. M. Cuvier has divided it into seven sub- 

 genera. The first, that of the labrus proper 

 (rainbow fish), to which belong the varying la- 

 brus (l.turdus], the louche of the Mediterranean, 

 and the anile labrus (/. vetula) from the North 

 seas, a beautiful fish striped with blue and orange. 

 2d. The julis, Guv., which differs from the labrus 

 in not having scales on its head. We have forty- 

 seven species ; one of which from the Mediter- 

 ranean (/. julis], jurella labrus, is distinguished 

 by its colour, which is a fine blue or violet on 

 the upper parts with an undulating orange stripe 

 on each side. 3d. The crenilabri, Guv., of which 

 we have forty-nine species, mostly from the Medi- 

 terranean, and all beautifully coloured. 4^. The 

 ephibuli, Guv. ; amongst which is the insidious 

 sparus, (spams insidiator), remarkable for the 

 great elasticity of its snout, to which it suddenly 

 gives the form of a tube to catch the small fish 

 \vithin its reach. This species is rarely found 

 in collections of natural history. 5th. The e/o/.-ey, 

 Lin., which have a long snout, like the ephi- 



