128 
ACANTHOPTERYGII. 
Mr. Couch remarks of C. Tinea and C. Cornubicus (Mag. Nat. Hist. 
yoI. v. p. 742) that they differ in size, shape, colour, and habits. The 
three first differences have been already dwelt upon ; but as to habits, I 
have only circumstantial evidence of their similarity, by the supposed two 
species being taken in like quantity at the same time and place, and with 
the same bait. The C. Cornubicus is, under the name of ‘ Corkwing,’ 
admitted by Mr. Couch occasionally to want the black spot on the tail 
(Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 18), and is in this state considered by him to 
constitute the ‘ Gibbous Wrasse ’ of Pennant. I, believing the C. Tinea 
and C. Cornubicus to be identical, am inclined to think the gibbous wrasse 
is an accidental variety of C. Tinea. The only thing like a specific differ- 
ence that I can perceive in any of the characters included under ‘ form ’ 
in the C. gibbus , is its greater depth, which is to its length as three to 
eight — the average depth of C. Tinea I find to be as three to nine, and the 
proportion varies — though certainly not, so far as I have observed, ac- 
cording to any peculiarity of colouring, which is supposed to mark C. 
Tinea and C. Cornubicus. The only difference between them in colour 
worthy of remark is, that C. gibbus has a ‘ dusky semilunar spot above 
each eye,’ and the ‘ pectoral fins marked at the base with transverse 
stripes of red.’ The C. Tinea has a ‘ dusky ’ mark behind the eye, which 
does rarely reach above it posteriorly, and amongst my specimens is one 
exhibiting three transverse stripes of red at the base of the pectoral fin, 
though all the others have but one stripe. Finding specimens of the C. 
Tinea thus varying both in form and colour, I have not a doubt of the C. 
gibbus being an accidental variety of it, an opinion which is much strength- 
ened by one individual only of C. gibbus proper having ever occurred. 
With these views, it appears to me that the name of C. Tinea should be 
used to designate the species, and C. Cornubicus and C. gibbus to mark its 
varieties. This species, in its ordinary aspect, and in that of the variety 
first mentioned, probably occurs on all the rocky parts of the Irish coast. 
I have seen specimens of both from a wide range of the northern, eastern, 
and southern shores. 
Since the above was read to the Zoological Society, I have observed in 
the collection of my friend, Dr. Ball, a fish named by him C. gibbus, 
which further serves to illustrate what has been just advanced. This 
specimen, which was taken at Youghal, is in length 8 inches, its greatest 
depth of body, exclusive of fins, 2 inches, 7 lines — the depth to length 
thus being as 1 to 2f . — The fin rays are : — - 
D. 16-4-9 ; A. 3 -j- 10 ; Y. 1 5 ; P. 15 ; C. 15, and some short. Its pro- 
file from the mouth to the commencement of the dorsal fin is even more 
vertical than represented in Pennant’s figure of the gibbous wrasse, but 
here, instead of about the centre of this fin, is its maximum height. From 
this point it falls away gradually to the tail, so that, without including 
the dorsal fin, it does not present the depth relatively to the length de- 
scribed by Pennant. It is at the same time evidently his C. gibbus, and 
as evidently a mal-formed specimen of C. Tinea. The original colour can- 
not now be accurately determined. It, however, wants the black spot of 
C. Cornubicus .” — Mag. Zool. and Bot. vol. ii. 
Mr. Yarrell, in his first edition of British Fishes, gave a figure and de- 
scription of C. gibbus, but it is left out of the second edition of the work, 
without, so far as I can perceive, any allusion to the circumstance, or any 
reason being assigned for its omission. 
June 10, 1838. — At Kingstown (Dublin) I saw a boy with a string of 
