340 COOK WRASSE. Class IV. 



is said never to exceed a palm in length ; near 

 the tail is a remarkable black spot; the first 

 rays of the dorsal fin are tinged with black. 



The Melanurus of Rondeletius (adds he) 

 takes its name from the black spot near the 

 tail; but in many instances it differs widely 

 from this species, the tail of the first is forked, 

 that of the Goldsinny is even at the end. 



I suspect that this species was once sent 

 to me from Cornwall; besides the spot near the 

 tail, there was another near the vent. 



In the dorsal fin were sixteen spiny, and nine 

 soft rays ; in the pectoral fourteen ; in the anal 

 three spiny, eleven soft ; in the ventral six. The 

 tail almost even at the end. 



ai. Cook. Cook (i. e. Coquus) Cornuln- Labrus coquus. Gm. Lin. 

 ensium. RaiiSyn. pise. 163. 12Q7- 



fg- 4 - 



J_HIS species, Mr. Jago says, is sometimes 

 taken in great plenty on the Cornish coasts. 

 Descrip- It is a scaly fish, and does not grow to any 

 great size. The back is purple and dark blue ; 

 the belly yellow. By the figure it seems of 

 the same shape as the Comber, and the tail 

 rounded. 



