ENGLISH FISHES. 



451 



's^uiiimer of 1808, and have taken two or three 

 since. The fishermen called it White-bait, but I 

 afterwards found they had mistaken it for the fr.y 

 of Herring and Pilchard, which indiscriminately 

 go by that name, and are together sold in some 

 places under the name of Herring Sprat 



The Three-bearded Cod, G. mustella, is a very 

 common species on the western coast, and which 

 I have taken of all sizes, from the most minute, 

 to its full growth of sixteen or seventeen inches, 

 and never observed it to vary in colour, except, as 

 it grows large, it becomes more rufous and throws 

 out spots, which is never observed till ii exceeds 

 six or seven inches, but is invariably rufous 

 brown in its infant state. 



Thoracic 

 Sparm Uneatus* — Black Bream. 



Plate xxiii. reduced. 



The fish belonging to the genus Sparus, which 

 is here described, is somewhat allied to that given 



^ * These are undoubtedly the same as the Sprat of the eastern 

 and northern parts of the kingdom. The only difference, is, 

 that the Herring fry oply are caught on these coasts ; whereas 

 both are taken in the west, at all times of the year, both of th^ 

 first and second year's growth, as well as full-grown fishes. 



