CHAP. XVI. ] The Wrasses. 291 
dress. Mr. Couch requested an inspection of the curious 
fish, together with an account of its exact color when fresh 
from the sea, and also the particular circumstances, of 
weather or otherwise, under which so large a number of the 
fishes had been taken. The information asked for was at 
once furnished by Edward. Dr. Gray also requested a 
specimen for the British Museum, which was forwarded to 
London. 
Now that Edward had found another opening for his 
discoveries, he proceeded to send numerous new specimens 
of fish for Mr. Couch’s identification. Mr. Couch having 
informed him that he was then employed upon the wrasses, 
Edward immediately began to search for wrasses, and short- 
ly after he dispatched numbers of them to Polperro. 
Among the specimens of Wrasse latrus which Edward sent. 
to Mr. Couch, there was one which Cuvier described as be- 
ing found only in New Guinea, on the farther side of the 
world. ‘And yet,” said Mr. Couch, after examining the 
fish, “I can not suppose that fishes from New Guinea can 
chave visited you.” The finding of this fish at New Guinea 
and at the Moray Firth furnished only another illustration 
of the scarcity of observers in natural history; for it must 
certainly, like most other species, have existed in numerous 
other parts of the world besides these. 
In describing his little fish, Edward says: “ Although I 
can not say much of importance concerning the traits of 
our little friend, still there is one which can not be passed 
over in silence. It is this: on coming out of the water 
after I took the prize, I had occasion to lay it down upon 
the sand until a bottle was prepared for its reception and 
exclusive use, as I was anxious to take it home alive, so 
that I might see and learn as much of its habits as possi- 
ble. While thus employed, I was rather surprised at see- 
ing it frequently leap several inches at a time. Thinking 
that the damp sand might have in some way or other aided 
the operation, when I got home I placed it on a dry board 
