12 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and shot his nets, obtainmg several crans. The Herrings from 

 the Brittany coast, I thought, were somewhat tasteless when 

 cooked. 



Cuckoo Wrass. — To my indefatigable young friend, Mr. 

 P. C. Cook, of Lowestoft, I am indebted for placing in my hands 

 the first Cuckoo Wrass {Labrus mixtus) I have seen "in the 

 flesh." It had recently been trawled up from the vicinity of the 

 ' Galloper' (light-vessel), during the second week in December, 

 and, having been laid on the ice, came to port in excellent 

 condition ; the colours had, however, much deteriorated, if I 

 may compare it with Couch's brilliant figure, and the drawing 

 of one sent me by the Duchess of Bedford two years ago from 

 the vicinity of the western islands. The blue lines radiating 

 from the eye and running down either side still contrasted 

 strongly against the fawn ground colour ; a row of blue spots 

 ran along just below the lateral line, which I have not seen 

 represented in any drawing of this species, which, I believe, 

 varies considerably in the disposition of its brilliant colours. I 

 notice both Couch's and Day's figures give the tail a rounded 

 form; the present fish's was distinctly concave or forked (!). 

 Length, 8^ in. Dr, H. Laver, of Colchester, to whom I men- 

 tioned the occurrence, stated that the fish has not hitherto been 

 recorded off the Essex coast, and suggested I should place it on 

 record. 



Muller's Topknot. — A fine example of this fish was taken 

 at the same time with the preceding. Dr. Laver assures me he 

 has several records of this interesting little fish as taken in the 

 Essex estuary. 



[HiEMULON. — I do not make any claim for this American 

 perciforme'a admission to more than serious notice, but early in 

 December Mr. P. C. Cook found stranded on Lowestoft beach 

 the head and backbone of a strange fish. On examining it I 

 saw a marked resemblance in the head to that of some Sea- 

 Bream. I sent it to Dr. Boulenger for identification. He 

 described it as one of the Pristipoinatidm, with the remark 

 that "no Hsemulon has ever been recorded from the British 

 seas." Dr. Boulenger also truly remarked that no one knows 

 how far fish may travel in ice. I make inquiries as to whether 

 the Lowestoft smacks fished in French waters, and was assured 



