198 



DUSKY rEliCH. 



Serranus ffiffcts, CuviKU. 



" " Yakuell; lir. Fishes, vol. i, p. 1-4. 



" " GuNTiiEU; Cat. of Br. Museum, vol. i, 



p. 132. 



Jlolocentrus Mcrou, Lacepepe. liisso. 



Pcrca rohusta, Loudon's ^Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. v, p. 21. 



Pcrca gigas, Jenyns; Manual, p. 333. 



This, Avliicli as its scientific uauu; implies, is aiiioug the 

 largest of the species of this family, and is not uncommon in 

 the Mediterranean, appears to have been overlooked by natu- 

 ralists until very recent times, and even yet its peculiar habits 

 have been but little examined. Risso tells us only that it 

 comes to the neighbourhood of Nice in summer and autumn. 

 It appears that the south part of the coast of Cornwall is the 

 north boundary of its -svanderings, as it is of several other 

 fishes of the west portion of the ]\Iediterrancan ; but even 

 there it is found but rarely, and no more than three or 

 four examples have fallen within the notice of naturalists. 

 'Ihe first of these was taken near Polperro with a line, and 

 from it our figure and descrijition were obtained. I learn 

 from AV\ V. Cocks, Esq., that two others have been brought 

 into Fahnouth, and one of these was presented by him to the 

 collection of the British ]\[\iseum. One, if not more, has 

 been obtained at Penzance, but of its habits on our coasts 

 we have nothing to report. 



At first view this fish has more the appearance of belonging 

 to tlie genus Lahrus (the Wrass) than to the fiimily of 

 Perches; and, in conformity with this, it is said that in 

 Spain, where it is well known, its name is the same as that 

 of the "NVrass; but closer observation corrects the mistake, 

 and bhews it to be possessed of the jiroper characters of the 



