10 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
there is no special method of fishing for the Ballan 
Wrasse, but it is generally taken by accident on the 
’ dorje-hoolc (a kind of hook used in cod-fishing) or in 
the herring-nets. «The ’dorj e-hook’, » says Malm (1. c.), 
«may be used to the best advantage at a depth of from 
12 to 18 fathoms beneath sheer cliffs with piles of 
stones lying at their base. One must avoid drawing 
in the line as soon as the fish bites, for in that 
case one generally loses both hook and fish, as the 
wrasse darts into its hiding-place among the rocks or 
into a fissure of the cliff the moment it has taken the 
bait. Only by cautiously taking in a little line now 
and then one can tire out and eventually secure the 
fish. By this method I have often seen a fisherman 
take dozens of Ballan Wrasses a foot in length, and an 
occasional Striped Wrasse, within a few hours. » Else, if 
one is anxious to obtain specimens of this fish, a small 
seine may be used with the greatest effect, for in a favour- 
able spot one may often secure several at the first haul. 
In Bohuslan the most common name for this fish 
is Bergsnultra, but, as some of the smaller species 
which have no popular name are included under this 
appellation, we have thought it best, in order to avoid 
confusion, to adopt the other name used in the same 
district. In Norway the fish is called Berggylte , B erg- 
gait, and Soabborre (sea-perch): Ascanius gives 86- 
karpe as the Danish name, and at Kullen it is said 
to be called Haf sharp (both of the latter names = 
sea-carp). 
The figure given above is painted from a speci- 
men caught in Bohuslan in the middle of July, im- 
mediately after its capture. The colouring of almost 
all fishes changes very rapidly after death, and after a 
short interval the appearance of the fish is so altered 
that it is scarcely recognizable. In most of the coloured 
plates included in this work the natural colours of the 
fish during life will be given as correctly as art can 
reproduce them. It may be that many, who have only 
seen the fish after death, will accuse the artist of having 
flattered nature, though he has only tried faithfully to 
represent her. 
(Fries, Smitt.) 
THE STRIPED WRASSE (sw. blasnultkan). 
LABRUS MIXTUS. 
Plate II, figs. 1 and 2. 
No scales on the back of the head or forehead. Number of scales in the lateral line more than 40. Above the 
lateral line at least 6 rows of scales. Scales on only the posterior part of the interoperculum. The cheeks covered 
with small scales; at, least 6 suborbital rows of scales. Number of spinous rays in the dorsal fi,n at most 18. 
Length of the snout at least as great as the greatest thickness of the body or the postorbital length of the head. 
Least depth of the tail less than 7 /io °f ^ie base of the anal fin a . Streaks on the head blue. 
c? dark green , with blue stripes , the fins and belly 
yellow spotted with blue. 
9 minium red, with 3 black spots on the posterior 
part of the back. 
R. br. 5; D. — — ^ ; A. — ; 
1 + 13 1. 12 1. 11 1 1. 2 + 10 1. 9 1. 11 
P- .. ; V. V 5 ; C. x +11 + x\ L. lat. 46 — 47. 
14(15) 
Syn. Labrus ossifagus, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. X, p. 286. 
Labrus exoletus , Retzius, Fn. Suec. Lin., p. 335. 
Labrus speciosus, Fabricius, Dan. Vid. Selsk. Skr. 1809 et 
1810, p. 109. 
Labrus dispar, Fries et Wright, Skand. Fisk., ed. 1, tab. 37 
et 38; EkstrOm, Gbgs Vet. Vitt. Sarah. Handl. 1850, p. 38; 
Malm, ibid., p. 90. 
Labrus mixtus, Kroyer, Damn. Fislce, I, p. 496 et 604; 
Sundevall, Skand. Fisk., ed. 1, p. 160; Nilsson, Skand. 
a In 6 measured specimens the least depth of the body was on an 
%\ the maximum 68.1 °/. 
Fn., Fisk., p. 265; Collett, Christ. Vid. Selsk. Forh. 1874, 
Tilleegsh., p. 91; ibid. 1879, n:r 1, p. 61; Malm, Gbgs, 
Boll. Fn., p. 477 ; Lilljerorg, Sv., Norg. Fiskar, I, p. 
429. 
cf : Labrus mixtus, Linnzeus, 1. c., p. 287 (ex Willughby, p. 322 
et Artedi, Gen., p. 34; Syn., p. 57); Cuv., Val., Hist. Nat. 
Poiss., XIII, p. 43, tab. 369. 
Labrus cceruleus , Ascanius, Ic. rer. nat., cah. II, p. 5, tab. 
XII. 
Striped Wrasse, Pennant, Brit. Zool., Ill, p. 218, tab. XLV; 
— Labrus variegatus , Gmelin, Syst. Nat. Lin., I, p. 1294; 
— Labrus vittatus, Walbaum, Ichtli. Art., Ill, p. 256; — 
Labrus lineatus. Risso, Iclith. Nice, p. 220; Nilsson, Prodr. 
Ichth. Scand., p. 75. 
9: Labrus carneus, Ascanius, 1. c., p. 6. tab. XIII; Nilsson, 
Prodr., 1. c. 
Trimaculated Wrasse, Pennant, 1. c., p. 218, tab. XL VI: 
— Labrus trimaculatus, Gmelin, 1. c., Cuv., Val., 1. c. 
p. 58. 
average 63.3 % of the base of the anal fin; the minimum was 57.6 
