446 Contributions towards a 



nor with the description of C. lusciis. The vignette differs fron) 

 them in the mouth, which is placed too high, and is thus made un- 

 naturally to resemble that of the Trachinus vipera. 



Such were the observations made on these individuals in a recent 

 state. In the month of February 1836, a specimen of the same fish, 

 which was cast ashore at Bamborough, came into the possession of 

 P. J. Selby, Esq., and formed the subject of a communication to 

 this Magazine in the following August. Mr Selby here satisfac- 

 torily showed that it was the goldsinny of Jago, and Lutjnnus ru- 

 pestris of Bloch, but of a different species from the fish now known 

 by the former name. My specimens had not the least indication of 

 transverse bands on the sides, as described and figured by Bloch 

 and Selby, nor was there any appearance of blue either in spots or 

 lines upon the head. On examination of several individuals in Mr 

 Yarrell's collection, I found no appearance of transverse markings. 

 Nillson observes (Prod. Icht. Scand.) that the colour of the species 

 is variable. 



CreniLtAbrus mickostoma. Couch MS. Small mouthed Wrasse. 

 Plate XIV. 



In the month of June 1836, a species of Cretiilahrus was found 

 on the beach of the county Antrim near Cairnlough, by my friend 

 Dr J. L. Drummond, when engaged in collecting Alga', and on his 

 return to Belfast shortly afterwards, was kindly handed over to me. 

 Being apparently undescribed, I at once drew up a minute account 

 of it. When in London at the beginning of last summer, I ascer- 

 tained that the same species had been met with in Cornwall by Mr 

 Couch, who likewise considered it as new, and sent two specimens 

 to Mr Yarrell, under the appropriate name of C. microstoma, a term, 

 which, although unpublished, I consider it but fair to adopt, as Mr 

 Couch had the priority in obtaining the species. 



Its most prominent characters are : Body rather deep, mouth 

 small, teeth few in number, and rounded or truncated at the sum- 

 mits ; scales very large, those on the body concealing the base of 

 the dorsal and anal fins, but none on these fins, anal fin with five or 

 six spinous rays, ventral scale half the length of ventral fin, no black- 

 ish spots on body or fins. 

 D. 19 + 6. A. 6 + 7. P. 13. V. 1 + 5. C 14. and some short = Br. 5. 



Detailed description. — Length 3 inches ; depth to entire length 

 nearly as 1 to 3^ ; first quarter of dorsal profile sloping moderate- 

 ly upwards, second fiat, third turning rather suddenly downwards, 

 and terminating with the dorsal fin, thence straight to the base of 

 the caudal fin ;* ventral profile very convex, sloping equally from 



* Two specimens have this form ; the other tM^o have the dorsal profile fine- 



