416 FOSSIL FISH. 



nearly the same as in Sparus dentex, the proportions of the 

 parts will not permit us to regard this fossil as the analogue of 

 that species. 



There are other fossil species attributed to Sparus in the 

 Veronese work, but they are either identical with some of the 

 foregoing, or established on materials too insufficient to afford 

 a safe foundation. 



Labrus. An impression referred, in the above-mentioned 

 work, to L. merula, Linn., is so completely defaced, that though 

 it does somewhat indicate the form of Labrus, it is impossible 

 to give any assurance concerning it ; it may, perhaps, be 

 Labrus ciliaris. 



L. turduSf Icht. Ver. A very fine impression, indicating a 

 fish of this family, of a tolerably elongated form, a character 

 sufficiently applicable to this species. The head is remarkable 

 for its length, and especially for the protraction of the muzzle, 

 which presents no trace of teeth. The scales were very large, 

 and there were some on the gill-covers : the caudal fin is very 

 thick. Notwithstanding these differences, which, perhaps, are 

 attributable to the greater or less degree of preservation, there 

 does not appear to be much doubt concerning the identity of 

 this species. 



L. punctatus. Very probably another species of this genus, 

 remarkable for the bulk and shortness of the body. The head 

 is very gross, but entirely decomposed ; the dorsal fin is single, 

 and commences at the nape ; it is composed of seven spinous 

 rays, and fourteen or fifteen others not spinous ; the middle 

 ones of which, being very long, cause the fin to attain to nearly 

 one-half of the caudal. The anal is pretty nearly of the same 

 form as the last part of the dorsal, and appears to have but a 

 single spinous ray; the caudal fin is large and entire; the 

 number of vertebrae is from twenty-three to twenty-four. 



Though this fossil is most likely to belong to the genus, yet 

 it presents no trace of the ray of the ventral fins extended into 

 a long filament, which is a character of L. punctatus. 



