128 ACAMIIOPTEKYGII. 



Mr. Couch remarks of C. Tinea and C Conmhicns (Mag. Nat. Hist, 

 vol. V. p. 742) that they differ in size, shape, colour, and habits. The 

 three first differences have been already dwelt upon ; but as to habits, I 

 have only circumstantial evidence of their similarity, by the supposed two 

 species being taken in like quantity at the same time and place, and with 

 the same bait. The C. Curnnbicus is, under the name of ' Corkwing.' 

 admitted by ^Ir, Couch occasionally to want the black spot on the tail 

 (Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 18), and is in this state considered by him to 

 constitute the ' Gibbous Wrasse ' of Pennant. I, believing the C. Tinea 

 and C. CornuhieKs to be identical, am inclined to think the gibbous MTasse 

 is an accidental variety of C. Tinea. The only thing like a specific differ- 

 ence that I can perceive in any of the characters included untler \form^ 

 in the C. gihbus, is its greater depth, Mhich is to its length as three to 

 eight — the average depth of C. Tinea I find to be as tlii'ee to nine, and the 

 proportion varies — though certainly not, so far as I have observed, ac- 

 cording to any peculiarity of colouring, which is supposed to mark C. 

 Tinea and (.'. Cormibicus. The only difference between them in colour 

 worthy of remark is, that C. (jihhus has a ' dusky semilunar spot above 

 each eye,' and the ' pectoral fins marked at the base with transverse 

 stripes of red.' The C. Tinea has a ' dusky' mark behind the eye, which 

 does rarely reach above it posteriorly, and amongst my specimens is one 

 exhibiting three transverse stripes of red at the base of the pectoral fin, 

 though all the others have but one stripe. Finding specimens of the C. 

 Tinea thus varying both in form and colour, I have not a doubt of the C. 

 f/ibbus being an accidental variety of it, an opinion which is much strength- 

 ened by one individual only of C. e/ibbus jn'oper having ever occurred. 

 AVith these views, it ajipears to me that the name of C. Tinea should be 

 used to designate the species, and C. Co)-nubieus and C. f/ibbus to mark its 

 varieties. This species, in its ordinary aspect, and in that of the variety 

 first mentioned, probably occurs on all the rocky parts of the Irish coast. 

 I have seen specimens of both from a wide range of the northern, eastern, 

 and southern shores. 



Since the above was read to the Zoological Society, I have observed in 

 the collection of my friend, Dr. Ball, a fish named by him C. gibbtts, 

 which further serves to illustrate what has been just advanced. This 

 specimen, which was taken at Youghal, is in length 8 inches, its greatest 

 depth of body, exclusive of fins, 2 inches, 7 lines — the depth to length 

 thus being as 1 to 2|. — The fin rays are : — 



D. 16-1-9 ; A. 3 + 10 ; V. 1 -f 5 ; P. 15 ; C. 15, and some short. Its pro- 

 file from the mouth to the commencement of the dorsal fin is even more 

 vertical than represented in Pennant's figure of the gibbous M-rasse, but 

 here, instead of about the centre of this fin, is its maximum height. From 

 this point it falls away gradually to the tail, so that, without including 

 the dorsal fin, it does not present the depth relatively to the length de- 

 scribed by Pennant. It is at the same time evidently his C. gibhus, and 

 as evidently a mal-formed specimen of C. Tinea. The original colour can- 

 not now l)e accurately determined. It, however, wants the black sjiot of 

 C. Curnabieas." — 3fag. Zool. and Bnt. vol. ii. 



Mr. Yarrell, in his first edition of British Fishes, gave a figure and de- 

 scription of C. gibbus, but it is left out of the second edition of the work, 

 without, so far as I can perceive, any allusion to the circumstance, or any 

 reason being assigned for its omission. 



June 10, 1838. — At Kingstown (Dublin) I saw a boy with a string of 



