448 Contributions towards a 



specimen having been too much dried up by exposure on the beach 

 to be available for this purpose. Of these individuals, the first was 

 obtained at the mouth of Lough Foyle, (co. Londonderry,) and the 

 others in the small bay at Cairnlough, where the specimen was found 

 by Dr Drummond. These are respectively 4|, 5, and 5| inches in 

 length, and those sent from Cornwall to Mr Yarrell, being about 

 the same size, render it probable that they may be full grown. 

 Their colour in spirits varies slightly, but the one which best re- 

 tains its original markings may be described as having the sides of 

 a deep salmon colour, with a dusky tinge ; upper part of bead purple ; 

 upper margin of eye and orbit blackish ; stripes of violet and orange 

 alternating below the eye longitudinally to near the mouth, where 

 they become vertical ; belly silvery white ; some of the scales, in- 

 cluding those on which the lateral line appears tinged, with a gold- 

 en metallic lustre ; dorsal fin violet blue at the base, with an orange 

 stripe above j anal fin violet blue, striped with reddish orange ; 

 pectoral fin, brownish orange, with a dark stripe at its outer base, 

 as in C. tinea ; ventral fin diaphanous, tinged with orange ; caudal 

 fin dusky, towards the tip blackish. The fin rays of these three 

 specimens are, 

 D. 19 + 7. P. 14. V. 1 + 5. A. 5 + 7. C. 13? and some short =* Br. 5. 



19 + 6. 13. 1+5. 5 + 7. 13. do. 



20 + 6. 13. 1+5. 6 + 7. 15. do. 



In the number of spinous rays in the anal fin, this species agrees 

 with a British Crenilabrus, the " Scale-rayed Wrasse" of Couch, 

 (Mag. Nat. Hist. Vol. v. pp. 18 and 742,) which, however, differs 

 from it widely in the form and number of the teeth, in the num- 

 ber of dorsal fin-rays, (21 -{- 8,) in having processes of imbricated 

 scales between the rays of the dorsal and anal fins, and above all, 

 in form, being " very much elongated." With the C. exolelus, 

 which has a wide range over the European seas, it accords more 

 nearly than with any other species I have seen described. The 

 number of spinous rays in the anal fin is the same, but the C exole- 

 tus, as describedin detail by Risso, (Hist. Nat. l'Eur. Merid. T. iii. 

 p. 329, ed. 1826,) differs from it in the number of rays in the dorsal 

 fin, (20 + 9,) and in having scales on its base, in the teeth, (which 

 are pointed,) and in having a large black spot on the caudal fin. 

 Linneeus in his description of this fish, ( Labrus exolelus, Syst. Nat. 

 T. i. p. 479, ed. 13,) gives about the same number of rays in the 

 fins as the Irish specimens possess ; but the brevity of his description* 



* " Pina dorsali ramentacea, corpore lineis caeruleis, pinna ani spinis 5. D. 

 ||. P. 13. V. J. A. T V C. 13." 



