■WEASSES. 527 



Young " Wrasses " differ from mature specimens in having 

 the prseoperculum serrated. The headquarters of this genus 

 are the Mediterranean, whence it ranges, gradually diminish- 

 ing towards the north, along all the shores of Europe. Nine 

 species are known; British are the "Ballan Wrasse" {L. 

 maculatus), and the " Striped or Eed Wrasse " or " Cook " 

 {L. mixtus). The two sexes of the latter species are very 

 differently coloured; the male being generally ornamented 

 with blue streaks, or a blackish band along the body, whilst 

 the female has two or three large black blotches across the 

 back of the tail. 



Crenilabrus are Labrus with serrated prseoperculum ; the 

 number of their dorsal spines varies from thirteen to eighteen, 

 and the scales are arranged in less than forty transverse series. 



The range of this genus is coextensive with Lahrus. C. 

 melops, the " Gold-sinny," or " Cork-wing," is common on the 

 British coasts, 



Tautoga. — Body compressed, oblong, covered with small 

 scales ; scales on the cheek rudimentary, opercles naked. Teeth 

 id the jaws conical, in double series ; no posterior canine tooth. 

 Dorsal spines seventeen, anal spines three. Lateral line not 

 interrupted. 



The " Tautog," or " Black-fish," is common on the Atlantic 

 coasts of temperate North America, and much esteemed as 

 food. 



Ctenolabrits. — Body oblong, covered with scales of moder- 

 ate size ; imbricate scales on the cheeks and opercles. Teeth in 

 the jaws in a band, with an outer series of stronger conical teeth; 

 no posterior canine tooth. Dorsal spines from sixteen to eighteen; 

 anal spines three. Lateral line not interrupted. 



Four species, from the Mediterranean and the temperate 

 parts of the North Atlantic, C(. rwpestris being common on 

 the British, and Ct. Iwrgall on the North American coasts. 



