124 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



a very faint green colour. It is evidently the same species as the green 

 wrasse. 



" Variable Wrasse — Lahrns variabilis, Thomp. — 1Mb. maculahts, Bloch — I 

 have seen taken commonly on the rocky coasts of Wigton and Ayrshire. It 

 seems common in such localities around the British Islands." — W. T. in Mag. 

 Nat. Hist. vol. iii. p. 586. 



The Cook Wrasse,* or Blue-striped Wrasse, Lahnis variegatus 



(Gmelin), 



Is occasionally, but rarely, taken around the coast. 



Localities noted : — Coasts of Antrim and Down ; Dublin, Ardmore, in 

 County Waterford, Youghal, and Kilkee (Dr. Ball) ; Galway coast (Mr. 

 M'Calla). 



The first published notice of this specimen as Irish, was communicated 

 by me to the Zool. Proc, 1835, (p. 81,) where it was stated that the speci- 

 men is occasionally taken on the Down and Antrim shores ; that a speci- 

 men had been sent me from the South by Dr. Ball ; and that, in the 

 museum of the Royal Dublin Society, one is preserved which was pur- 

 chased in Dublin market. I subsequently learned, however, that the 

 specimen had been known to Mr. Templeton, and in his published cata- 

 logue, which afterwards appeared, the following note occurs in reference 

 to it : — " Both the specimens of this beautiful fish were caught in Strang- 

 ford Lough." 



The food contained in specimens which I examined, consisted of mol- 

 lusca and Crustacea. 



Like other rare species not known to the public, this wrasse does not 

 meet Avith purchasers in our northern markets. 



Descriptive notes of two specimens taken at Carrickfergus, December 

 28,1835:— 



1st, length 11 inches. 



D. 17 + 13; A. 3 -f 11 ; P. 15 ; V. 1 + 5 ; C. 15, well developed; 

 B. 5. 



2nd, length 11 inches. 



D. 18 + 12 ; A. 3 + 12 ; P. 14 ; V. 1 + 5 ; C. 15 ; B. 5. 



Colour of both specimens — one-half of the upper portion of the body, in- 

 cluding operculum and pre-operculum, greenish olive beautifully striped, 

 and otherwise marked with different shades of brilliant blue (iris blue and 

 golden orange), the blue extending in one specimen conspicuously, in the 

 other faintly, along the middle of the body (not occupying more than 

 about l-5th of it) to the base of tail ; remainder or all the rest of the 

 body different shades of orange, which is deepest in tint on the back, and 

 becomes gradually lighter towards the belly. 



D. fin rather more than \ of anterior portion azure blue to near the 

 tips, which, with the remainder of fin, is orange, excepting the extremest 

 tips, which are blue. 



P. entirely of a very pale red, transparent. 



V. very pale orange, tipped with pale bhie. 



A. yellow orange for 2-3rds from base, remainder greyish blue. 



C. about the basal half orange red, remainder Prussian blue. 



The stomach of the one contained only a piece of the " buckie whelk," 

 with which bait it was, I presume, caught. The stomach of the other was 



* Sometimes called "Livery Servant," and " Livery Fish" in the North. 



