85 



{Crenilabrus exoletus, Risso, baud Lahrus exoletus, L.). From this 

 it differs in the extension up between each of the spines of the dorsal 

 and anal fins of generally four of the large scales into a curious di- 

 stinct and moveable imbricated appendage ; in the large dark spot or 

 patch on the hinder end of the spiny portion of the dorsal fin ; in 

 having tvpo dark spots on each side at the base of the caudal fin, one 

 on the dorsal, and another fainter on the ventral line : and lastly in 

 the general colour. In the first and last of these four points, it 

 agrees better with Acantholabriis Couchii, Val. (^Crenilabrus luscus, 

 Yarr., Brit. Fish. 1 . 300) ; but it differs in the other two, is only half 

 the size, and whilst the dorsal and the anal fins have severally one 

 spine less, the dorsal has one soft ray more. 



Labrus reticulatus. 



This fish cannot be at present safely referred to the Ballan Wrasse 



of British Authors {Labrus macw/a^MS, Bl.), Yarr. 1. 275; although 



in size and form of body, no less than in the peculiar lowness of the 



spiny portion of the dorsal fin, and abrupt production of the soft 



part of the same, and of the anal fin, as well as in the number of the 



rays of all the fins, there is a strong agreement. It will, I think, 



however, ultimately prove merely a dark variety of that species. The 



colour is peculiarly sombre ; being a dark brown, approaching on the 



back almost to black ; the whole beautifully reticulated with dark 



chesnut-brown lines, forming a border to each scale, and leaving the 



centre pale. The proeoperculum was scaly. A single individual 



occurred in March 1 838, and measured sixteen inches in length. Its 



fin-formula was, 



4 + I -I- VI. 

 D. 19-f-ll; A.3-f-9; P. 14; V. 1 -f-5; C.^-^===; B. M. 5. 



This individual has been deposited in the Society's collection. 



JuLis MELANURA. /. obloTigus, posticc Tiigrescens : capite superne 

 dorsoque olivaceo-fuscis : lateribus perpendiculate sfrigatis; strigis 

 posterioribus nigricantibus : pinna dorsalis antice altiores rudiis 

 tribus primordialibus longioribus, operculique angulo lato truncato, 

 basique primarum pectoralium ceeruleo-nigreseente notatis : pinna 

 dorsali analique fasciatis, basi nudis ; caudali rotundato nigri- 

 cante : squamis parvis : dente solitario majore ad canthum oris 

 utrinque, antrorsum porrecto. 



4 -1- VT 



D.9 -H2; A. 3 -f 12; P. 14 v. 15; V. 1 +5; C.^^^; M. B. 6 ; 



Vert'^..25. 



Julis speciosa, nob. in Syn. Mad. Fish 186 ; hand Rissoi. 



, Cuv. and Val., Hist. 13. 375 ; quoad tantum ex- 



empla Canariensa, et forsan quidem Madercnsia. 



On re-examination and a close comparison of this fish with MM. 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes' description of the true Mediterranean J. 

 speciosa, of Risso, I find that it is properly distinct ; although a Ca- 

 narian individual at least of it has been referred by Valenciennes, as 



