6 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



in a shrimp-net on March 31st off the town. One measured 

 2| in. in length — a bright, well-marked fish, with a series of 

 silvery-white dashes and dots running from gill-covers to tail, on 

 either side, on a basal colouring of rich mahogany red. Belly 

 paler, inclining to yellow. The back was dotted with brown at 

 the base of the fin-rays. Fins much the same hue as the body, 

 and the iris was crimson. The colours faded rapidly. The 

 description as given to Couch, from the west of Cornwall, by 

 fishermen of Mount's Bay, was to the effect that it was " the 

 most slender and graceful of the Wrasses — the head smaller, 

 lips thinner, jaws more lengthened and pointed." But he 

 admitted that he had not yet examined a specimen.* Pennant 

 mentions an example received from Cornwall, and describes it 

 much in the same terms, giving a very respectable engraving of 

 it, from which, I should imagine, Yarrell ('British Fishes,' vol. i, 

 p. 489) had his woodcut copied, although reversed. 



Mr, E. Q. Couch, writing to the * Zoologist,' states he had 

 seen but one specimen, but that Cornish fishermen mentioned 

 that " several are caught every summer." 



My second example was 2| in. long, but of a much darker hue. 



Day (* British Fishes,' vol. i, p. 253) vaguely deals with the 

 Comber, and classes it with the varieties of Lahrus maculatus. 

 Probably he had not seen it. 



If Lahrus comber be a true species, it is an interesting addi- 

 tion to my list of East Coast fishes. 



On April 10th the * Angler's News ' provided its readers with a 

 list of " specimen fish " taken in British fresh waters in 1914. 

 Among them the following local captures are worthy of note : 



Pike 



. January . 



Weight 24 lb. 



Oulton Broad. 



Pike 



. February . 



AVeight 23 lb., length 

 40i in. 



Barton Broad. 



Pike 



. March 



Weight 20 lb. 8 oz. . 



Barton Broad. 



Perch 



August 



Weight 2 lb. 12 oz. . 



Hickling Broad. 



Chub 



. July 



Weight 6 lb. 



Little Ouse, Brandon. 



Bream 



. August 



Weight 6 lb. 4 oz. . 



Waveney, Somerleyton. 



Bream 



. October 



Weight 5 lb. 13 oz. 

 (Worm-legering.) 



Bare (Norfolk). 



Eoach 



October 



Weight 1 lb. loioz. 



Waveney, Beccles. 



''• Yarrell, however, remarks that Couch "has also met vs^ith this fish." 



