THE FISHES OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. 



BY JOSEPH SINEL. 



On recently looking over the published lists of the Channel 

 Island fishes (Ansted, &c.) I Avas much surprised to notice 

 the large number of species therein given ; — a number which 

 I feared Avas considerably exaggerated. On closer study of 

 these lists I noAv find that this error is due to three causes : 



Firstly : confusion of synonyms. 



Secondly : an error Avhich occurs in all our standard 

 Avorks on Fishes, — viz. : the describing as two distinct species 

 Avhat are really only male and female of the same. 

 Instances of this occur in the following : The Cuckoo Wrasse, 

 Labrus mixtus, and the Three spotted Wrasse, Labru.s trimacu- 

 latus, are male and female of one species. Acantlwlahrus 

 exoleta, the Rock Cock (local name " Shaunay ") and 

 Creuilabrns melops^ the CorkAving, are male and female of one 

 species. CalUoiii/nius c/emmacea^ the Gremmous Dragonet, and 

 Callionymns sordida, the Dusky Sculpin, are male and female 

 of one species. The confusion in this last instance has 

 hoAvever been rectified in the newer publications. 



Thirdly : there has been record made of species Avhicli 

 certainly do not occur here, or if so, only as rare visitors. An 

 instance of this occurs in giving the Haddock, Avithout note or 

 comment. 



I might add yet one source of error Avhich occurs among 

 the Rock fishes (LahridcB), but I Avould not like to pronounce 

 upon it with certainty. The standard Avorks give as distinct 

 species of Labrus what are I belieA^e but A^arieties of others, as 

 for instance the (jreen Wrsisse (Lab rns Iineaftis),oi Yarrelland 

 Jenyns). I haA^e kept these in aquaria, and noted that during 

 the year they changed from a bright green Avith silvery lines 

 on the sides, first to an olive green Avith black blotches, 

 and then to uniform broirn^ the " Comber Wrasse." Reference 

 to this AAall be made further on. 



The list Avhicli folloAvs comprises only fishes Avhich liaAC 

 come under my own observation, but I think it fairly repre- 

 sents the total number of species which may be claimed 



