WRASSES. 
9 
ventral tins, which are placed a little behind the pector- 
al and rounded at the extremity in the same way, 
consist of 1 spinous ray and 5 articulated soft rays. 
The caudal tin is straight (neither concave, nor convex) 
at the extremity, with slightly rounded corners and 
broad base. It consists of 1 1 thick branched rays with 
one undivided ray, extending to the hinder margin of 
the fin, on each side of them, and a number of simple 
supporting rays, three of which may generally be dis- 
tinguished without difficulty. Between the roots of 
the former rays the fin-membrane is covered with im- 
bricate scales. 
As the colouring of this species is very diversified 
and variable, it is by no means easy to give a descrip- 
tion applying equally well in all cases. As a rule we 
may divide the Ballan Wrasse into two varieties, the 
dark and the light. The former is represented in the 
figure. Its prevailing colour is green, which becomes 
lighter towards the belly and there has a bluish tinge. 
On the sides are several large dark spots, which are 
faintly marked and vary in number, size, and colour. 
The scales are edged with orange, on the lower part 
of the sides inclining to yellow and higher up to brown. 
Under the chin and breast irregular wavy stripes of 
the same orange tint. The iris green with an orange 
ring next the pupil and another similar ring round the 
outer margin. The dorsal fin green with a network of 
chocolate-brown spots between the rays. The rays of 
the anal fin orange, and the fin covered with round 
blue spots on a russet ground. The first ray and the 
membrane of the ventral fins bright yellow, the other 
rays blue with the points bright yellow, and here and 
there a dash of the same colour. The caudal fin green 
with a bluish tinge towards the base, and covered with 
a network of russet lines. The rays of the pectoral 
fins orange, and the fins themselves spotted with blue, 
especially at the base. The principal colour of the 
lighter variety is yellowish brown with brown spots; 
the belly is whitish, and the edges of the scales brown. 
There are three brown spots on the posterior part of 
the back which are especially remarkable for their size; 
the first and largest is just below the middle of the 
dorsal fin, the last and next in size at the end of this 
fin. To this variety belong all younger specimens, and 
between the two varieties there are innumerable states 
of transition, which are probably due to local circum- 
stances and do not depend on the season of the year 
or the sex of the fish. 
The intestinal canal is very simple: it consists of 
a tube which decreases in width with almost perfect 
regularity, and there is no stomachic dilatation, no ex- 
ternally distinct pylorus, and no pyloric appendages. This 
intestinal tube has thin walls with the inner surface co- 
vered with a network of folds, and widens suddenly into 
a fairly large rectum. The spleen large and triangular. 
The liver consists of three lobes, the middle one very 
large and lying lengthwise in the belly a little to the left, 
the two others, one on each side, very small and short. 
The gall-bladder small and narrow, and of almost uni- 
form width. The air-bladder large but short, and 
fastened by a strong membrane to the upper wall of 
the abdominal cavity. The ovaries and testicles double. 
On the coast of Norway up to Bergen and in the 
island-belt of Bohusl&n the Ballan Wrasse is not rare, 
though seldom met with in any considerable number. 
It is also found along the whole west coast of Europe 
and the north-western extremity of Africa, as well as 
in the Mediterranean. In the western parts of the Baltic 
it is rare, but has been observed several times; and 
from the fishing-station of Ivivik in Scania Lector L. J. 
Wai-ilstedt has obtained a specimen 260 mm. in length, 
which was taken in the beginning of November, 1878, 
and is now in the Royal Museum. 
The Ballan Wrasse generally remains close to the 
steepest cliffs and selects a place of refuge at their 
foot. Here it confines itself to water of a middling 
depth, varying to some extent according to the age of 
the fish. The young fishes may often be seen in two 
feet of water, seeking their food and at the approach 
of danger concealing themselves among the seaweed 
which grows on the rocky bottom. The older wrasses 
live in deeper water, but may be met with at a depth 
of from 6 to 10 fathoms. They have their favourite 
haunts in the island-belt where one is always sure of 
finding them, while at other spots, apparently quite the 
same in nature, one looks for them in vain. Thus, in 
the inmost part of the island-belt and on the outer 
edge, at least to the seaward side of the rocks, they 
never occur. Their food consists of small fishes, cray- 
fish, and mollusks. 
The body of the Ballan Wrasse is, as we have 
seen, fairly thick and plump; its flesh is white, firm, 
and of good flavour, though a little sweetish. In Bohus- 
lan it is little esteemed, and in many places is only 
eaten by the poorer part of the population who first 
split the fish and then dry it in the sun. Consequently 
Scandinavian Fishes. 
2 
