258 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



many fish of value and interest ; the specimen was full of 

 roe apparently in a fit state to be deposited ; perhaps the 

 spawning time of this species is later in the north than on 

 the more southern parts of the coast, since it is stated by 

 Mr Couch of Cornwall, that " the spawn is shed in April, 

 and the young, scarcely more than an inch in length, are 

 seen about the margin of the rocks in shallow water through- 

 out the summer.'" 



This fish is occasionally taken at North Berwick with the 

 hook and brought to the Edinburgh market for sale, but 

 the flesh is little sought after, being white, soft, and very 

 insipid. It feeds on crustaceous and testaceous animals. 



The Wrasses greatly resemble each other in their external 

 form, and their colours being liable to great variation, have 

 created much confusion in the identification of the species. 

 This fish is distinguished by having the soft rays of the 

 dorsal fin about twice the length of the spiny rays ; where- 

 as in the rest of the British Labri the soft rays in that fin 

 are scarcely longer than the spiny ones, and frequently of 

 equal length. 



Labrus carneus.* — The Red Wrasse. 



Specific Character. — Posterior rays of the dorsal fin very little 

 longer than the spiny rays ; body red, with three dark spots on each 

 side ; two at the base of the dorsal fin, and one between the dorsal and 

 caudal. 



Description. — Not possessing a specimen of this fish, the following 

 is from the work of Mr Yarrell. Prevailing colour a fine orange-red 

 over all the upper part of the body, becoming lighter as it descends 

 the sides; all the fins a rich yellow, with a tinge of dark at the edges 

 of the membranes ; part of the spinous portion of the dorsal fin, a 

 fine rich purple, with two spots at the base of the hinder soft-raved 



* Labrus car neus, Cuv., Yar., i31och. Labrus trimaoulatus, Jen., Penn.. 

 Don. Red Wrasse, Three-spotted Wrasse, Double-spotted Wrasse. 



