THE COOK WRASSE. 125 



empty, but the oesophagus contained also a large piece of the same mol- 

 lusk. One side of the gill membrane was torn out in both specimens, 

 probably in extricating the hook. 



The following Avas a female fish, the ova extremely minute : — 



July 9, 1838. — I received in a recent state, from C. G. M. Skinner, 

 Esq., a specimen of L. variegatus, which was taken in a lobster basket on 

 the 7th inst., at Portmuck, Island Magee, and was quite unknown to 

 those who saw it there. 



Its length is 10 inches ; Br. 5 ; D. 17 + 13 ; A. 3 + 11 ; C. 15 (well- 

 defined rays) ; P. 15 ; V. 1 + 5. 



In colour this specimen is extremely beautiful, and much less gaudy 

 than others I have seen. The entire head and 2-3rds of the upper por- 

 tion of the sides has bronze of different shades for a ground colour, and 

 throughout this the beautiful azure markings as in form, though in colour 

 faintly represented in Donovan's fig. 21 ; the lowest l-3rd of the sides to 

 the V. profile is rose red, of diff"erent shades (the blue markings are more 

 broken and varied than in Donovan's fig., not exhibiting any formality 

 as in his) ; the D. fin is marked and coloured as by Donovan ; but the 

 colours all very much richer. The C. fin is rich dark red, terminated by 

 azure, which is very narrow in the centre, but both above and below ex- 

 tending to a narrow point near to the base of the outer rays. Several 

 azure spots upon the red centre of the fin (no fonnal band as in Donovan 

 ending this fin). P. fins uniformly violet red (no formal band as in Do- 

 novan's). V. fins pale orange red, tipped with azure ; A. fin of a much 

 deeper red than the rose-coloured body at its base, and terminated by 

 azure, which becomes pale at the extreme margin. 



Irides dull silver, variegated with blue, orange, and yellow. 



January 2, 1845. — I bought a fresh specimen taken at Lame ; length, 

 IQi inches. It is a most brilliant specimen, nearly the anterior half being 

 golden olive, on which blue of the most beautiful colour appears. Im- 

 mediately behind the gill-covers are what Pennant might have called four 

 parallel lines of greenish or (rather) golden olive ; but only the two upper 

 I should call lines with one line of blue, it being broken instead of linear, 

 except where it first appears, the blue taking other forms. 



A similar marking of head to that described in L. trimacidatus taken 

 with it is presented, i. e. a blue bar across top of head between eyes, and 

 a horse-shoe formed, or rather in this specimen a belt of lovely blue be- 

 fore this across snout, and reaching down below the line of lower point 

 of eye, which it does not do in L. trimaculatiis. Its back (hinder) is bril- 

 liant orange red, belly intense gamboge yellow, the adjacent fins partak- 

 ing respectively of these colours. 



Irides brilliant red and deep blue, hinder half of caudal fin brilliant 

 blue, but darker than the most beautiful blue on the D. P. and A. fins ; 

 all the shades of blue in this fish are extremely beautiful. 



Yarrell's description is good, but " stri])ed '' Avith blue indicated a for- 

 mality in the dispositions of this colour not presented in the present spe- 

 cimen. It is broken into somewhat triangular sections, rather of trian- 

 gular forms, excepting one or two stripes. 



May, 1847. — Lahnts variefjafiis (taken with Lahrus trimacidatus at 

 the Wheelan's, near Larne) was the largest I have seen. It measured 

 13 inches in length; body, exclusive of fins, .3 inches deep, colours ex- 

 tremely beautiful. 



A Lahrus, agreeing quite as well witli L. vctula, described by Jenyns 

 and Yarrell, as with L. varieflattis, described by the same authors, was 



