ME. F. DA.Y ON SOME BRITISH FISHES. 313 



and also if they are, or are not, varieties of the Ballan or Bergylt 

 Wrasse. 



Among the fishes which I received from Mr. Carrington, 

 captured by Mr. Matthews from crab-pots at Jersey, I found 

 eight examples of the GreenWrasse,ox: Labrus lineatus of Donovan. 

 The length of these specimens and the number of spines and 

 rays in their dorsal fins were as follows : — Length 2 to 4 inches ; 

 two had D. 21/11, two D. 21/10, three D. 20/11, and one D. 20/10 ; 

 while a very fine example, 16 inches long, from Brixham in the 

 autumn of 18S0, had D. 21/9. Thus one had 32 spines and rays, 

 six had 31, and two had 30. 



The first thing that attracts one's notice in the eight small 

 specimens referred to is that the height of the dorsal spines 

 equals or nearly so that of the rays. If we examine the ad nit 

 example, we perceive the soft portion of the fin much higher than 

 the spinous, a similarity to what also obtains in a Ballan Wrasse 

 of the same size. Secondly, in all of these eight immature ex- 

 amples there existed a dark spot at the base of the last one or 

 two dorsal rays. The number of spines and rays are not con- 

 stant : thus, out of nine examples they numbered from 30 to 32, 

 the spines varied between 20 and 21, and rays between 9 and 11. 

 In short the teeth become less prominent with age, the lips 

 larger, the eye smaller, and the spines of the dorsal fin of less 

 height; than the soft rays, while the caudal becomes more obtuse, 

 and a single row of scales accompanies each ray. 



These changes are not restricted to this one form, the Labrus 

 lineatus, Donovan, or L. Donovani, Cuv. & Yah, as the same occurs 

 in other varieties of the same species ; and among the examples 

 given me by Mr. Carrington from Jersey was a beautiful speci- 

 men of the Labrus comber of Pennant, or Couch's and Yarrell's 

 Comber Wrasse. This fish would appear to be somewhat rare, 

 and seems to have been first alluded to by Jago ; but his figure 

 and description are too vague to enable one to be sure. It is 

 certainly identical with Pennant's Comber, while his figure is 

 from an immature example, as is also Couch's, as may be re- 

 cognized by the spinous dorsal being as high as the rayed portion, 

 as I have remarked occurs in the Green Wrasse. Steindachner has 

 given a beautiful figure, which he also refers to Labrus Donovani; 

 it is a little over 9^ inches long, and the dorsal fin shows the same 

 change as in the Grreen Wrasse, the spines being of less height 

 than the rays, the example, in fact, approaching the adult stage. 



