526 FISHES. 



the lateral and front teeth by which it is crushed. Other 

 Wrasses feed on corals, others on zoophytes; a few are 

 herbivorous. In all Wrasses the upper pharyngeal bones 

 seem to be joiated to the basi-occipital ; but whilst in 

 Zabrus the basi-occipital is raised on each side into a large 

 flattish condyle, fitting into a concavity of the upper 

 pharyngeals, in Scarus the mode of articulation is reversed, 

 the basi-occipital having a pair of long grooves, in which 

 the oblong condyles of the upper pharyngeals slide for- 

 wards and backwards. Beautiful colours prevail in this 

 family, permanent pigmentary colours as weU as passing 

 iridescent reflections of the scales. Some species remain very 

 small, others grow to a weight of fifty pounds. The larger 

 kinds especially are prized as food, the smaller less so. 



Eemains of Labridse, recognised by their united pharjm- 

 geals, which bear molar-like teeth, are not scarce in tertiary 

 formations of France, Germany, Italy, and England. Such 

 remains from Monte Bolca and the Swiss Molasse have been 

 referred to the genus Labrus. Others, Nummopalatus and 

 Phyllodus, are allied, but cannot be assigned, to one of 

 the recent genera; the latter genus is first represented in 

 cretaceous formations of Germany. Another genus, Taurinich- 

 thys, from the Miocene of France, represents the Odacina of 

 the living fauna. Egertonia, from the Isle of Sheppey, differs 

 so much from all recent Labroid genera that its pertinence to 

 this family appears doubtful. 



[See J. CoaM, Monografia dei Pharyngodopilidee, 1866 ; and E. Sawcage, 

 Sur le genre Nummopalatus, in Bull. Soc. Geol. France, 1875.] 



Labrus. — Body compressed, oblong, covered with scales of 

 moderate size, in more than forty transverse series ; snout more 

 or less pointed; imbricate scales on the cheeks and opercles; 

 none or only a few on the interoperculum. Teeth in the jaws 

 conical, in a single series. Dorsal spines numerous, thirteen or 

 twenty-one, none of which are prolonged; anal spines three. 

 Lateral line not interrupted. 



