420 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



has shown that within certain limits an individual may change 

 its colours in comparatively short time. The Comber has been 

 given specific rank, but is only a form with a more or less con- 

 tinuous white band along each side, from the eye to the base of 

 the caudal fin. About half-a-dozen specimens have been seen 

 during the past eight years from the south coast, and one from 

 St. Ives. The Cook, or Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus mixtus, L.)» is 

 common along the south and west on rocky bottoms in deeper 

 waters than the Ballan Wrasse. When fishing near rocks two 

 or three miles out to sea, one often finds it unpleasantly plentiful. 

 On the north coast it appears to be very local. The male of 

 this species is Couch's Blue-striped Wrasse, and the female his 

 Three-spotted Wrasse. The colours show great variation. The 

 Conner (Crenilabrus melops, L.) is plentiful in rock-pools, and 

 close inshore on a seaweed bottom all round the coast, and 

 especially in the west. The species is very variable, but it has 

 not been found practicable to apply the varietal names. Jago's 

 Goldsinny (Ctenolabrus rupestris, L.) is by no means common, 

 but occasional specimens have been found lately at Mevagissey, 

 Coverack, Mount's Bay, and one in July, 1906, near Sennen 

 Cove. The only two British specimens of the Scale-rayed 

 Wrasse (Acantholabrus palloni, Bisso) known to Day were ob- 

 tained near Mevagissey, the last about seventy years ago. The 

 Rock Cook (Centrolabrus exoletus, L.) was not considered rare by 

 Couch or Cornish ; but the only specimens seen by the writer 

 are two from Cadgwith in June, 1901, and one from a Crab-pot 

 from Porthgwarra. It has been reported from Polperro by 

 Robinson. A single specimen of the Rainbow Wrasse (Coris 

 jalis, L.) was taken in Mount's Bay in 1802. 



The Miller's Thumb, or River Bullhead (Cottus gobio, L.), is 

 fairly common among the clearer streams of the county. The 

 Father-Lasher (Cottus scorpius, L.), though a northern species, 

 is of very frequent occurrence all round the coast in rock-pools, 

 and in shallow water on weed-covered beaches. The Long- 

 spined Bullhead {Cottus bubalis, Euphr.) is plentiful on rocky 

 bottoms from tidal pools down to deep water. The Grey Gurnard 

 (Trigla gurnardus, L.) is very common on trawling-grounds all 

 round the coast, but Dunn /. believes that the enormous quan- 

 tities taken by the steam trawlers have perceptibly diminished 



