THE CORKLING. 
131 
Mr. Thompson’s papers is the following, which he published in Annals of 
Nat. Hist., Yol. ii. p. 418. — Ed.] 
“ On the identity of Crenilabrus multidentatus, Thomp and Labrus pusillus, 
Jenyns. 
“ In the month of June, 1837, 1 with some doubt characterized a Crenilabrus 
as new, under the specific name of multidentatus (Proc. Zool. Soc., 1837, p. 56), 
and subsequently gave a more detailed account of it, Mag. Zool. and Bot., vol. 
ii. p. 449. From the species possessing some of the principal characters of Lab. 
pusillus, I lately felt desirous of comparing specimens of this fish with mine ; 
and for this purpose Mr. Yarrell very obligingly forwarded to Belfast, for my 
examination, the only specimen of it he possessed, and which is one of the ori- 
ginal individuals described by Mr. Jenyns. A comparison of this specimen, 2| 
inches in length, with my own proved the species to be the same. 
“It must be stated that C. multidentatus was considered not to be a distinct 
species, even without critical attention having been given to the description of 
L. pusillus. The following are the chief differences that led to the belief of their 
non-identity 
C. multidentatus. 
“ Teeth numerous and large, two rows 
in the upper, one in the lower, jaw, 
number in lower 26, outer row of 
upper jaw 20.* 
Upper /aw the longer, f 
Colour (in spirits) very pale greenish 
brown on the back, olive-green on 
the sides, becoming paler beneath, 
sides with darker longitudinal bands 
throughout; 3 blackish spots, one 
on the pre-opercle behind and rather 
below the centre of the eye, a second 
on the body at the base of the cau- 
dal fin and at its lowermost portion, 
and the third at the base of the last 
ray of the dorsal fin.” 
L. pusillus. 
Teeth of moderate size, conical, re- 
gular, about 16 or 18 in each jaw. 
Jaws equal. 
Colour , (in spirits) yellowish brown, 
with irregular transverse fuscous 
bands ; dorsal irregularly spotted 
with fuscous; anal light brown ; the 
other fins pale.” 
Mr. Yarrell’s specimen, which is in excellent preservation, has no ap- 
pearance whatever of transverse fuscous bands, like the individual de- 
scribed by Mr. Jenyns ; it is also free from spots, thus differing again 
from mine. | 
When looking over Dr. Ball’s collection of native fishes in June last, I 
had the pleasure of seeing among them a Crenilabrus, which accorded 
better, in some respects, with Mr. Jenyns’ description of L. pusillus than 
the smaller specimens, and, compared with them, differed in several points 
of view to be hereafter noticed. 
This individual — 4 inches 11 lines in length — is larger than any of this 
species recorded in the Manual of British Vertebrate Animals. Except- 
ing that the ascending margin of the pre-opercle is not “ very oblique,” it 
* My specimens, with the teeth more numerous, were nearly one-half 
smaller than the one which (from the length of 4 inches being assigned to the 
species), I presumed, served for Mr. Jenyns’ description, 
f The difference in the length of jaws is very trivial. 
+ See an excellent figure in the Mag. Zool. and Bot., vol. ii. pi. 13, to which 
draughtsman and engraver did equal justice. 
