55 INDIAN ZOOLOGY. 



XVII. Ui^-dS /i^' 

 LABRUS ZEYLANICUS. 

 THE CEYLON WRASSE. 



Labrus Zeylanicus, Gmelin. Lin. i. 1287. Forjier^ Ind. Zool, 24. 

 Labius Polyodon, Seb. Muf. iii. p. 96, tab. xxxi. fig. 7. 



CiYLON Wrasse. ""T^ H I S fpecies refembles in form the elegant European 



fpecies, the L. Pavo, and L. lull's. The head Is 

 blue : the coverts of the gills green, marked with purple 

 lines : the whole body of a rich green : the dorfal and 

 anal fins purple, edged with pale &y-blue : on the mid- 

 dle of the pedtoral fin is an oblong purple fpot, environed 

 with light blue : the tail is lunated, the bafe blue : the 

 two fide rays (which appeared by the drawing to be 

 ftrong) purple ; the intervening rays yellow. The fize, 

 about a foot and a half. 



Inhabits the feas of Ceylon and Java: is called by the 

 Cingalefe, Dfchirau-Malu : by the T)utch, Papegaay Vifch, 

 or Farrot-fjh j and is eaten by the common people. 



Description. 



THE 



