PLATE LXXXIII. 
scribed as a species distinct from Labrns tinea. The Ballan wrasse 
of that writer, is certainly the same as our fish, from which it differs 
only in being of a paler colour, and in having the body marked with 
yellowish, instead of orange, or red. Such pale coloured varieties 
occur prettv freauently', and are indeed mors common then those of 
deeper, or more lively colours. Dr. Turton suspects the Ballan wrasse 
to be a variety only of the Labtus tinea of Linnseus, though he de- 
scribes it as a species with this distinctive character : “ body velloW 
spotted with orange ; above the nose a deep sulcus : farther gill-cover 
with a deep depression radiated from the center.” In those particu- 
lars, Dr. Turton was misled by the account given by Mr. Pennant, 
w'ithout reflecting that the same characters apply precisely to Labrus 
tinea. Mr. Pennant informs us, his Ballan “was the form of tbo 
common wrasse, only between the dorsal fin and tail was a conside- 
rable sinking : above the nose was a deep sulcus : on the farthest 
cover of the gills was a depression radiated from the center.” It i* 
already shewn that the spots on this fish vary considerably, to which 
may be added that the sinking between the dorsal fin and tail is con- 
spicuous in all the varieties of Labrus tinea, and so also is the sulcus 
above the nose. With regard to the last characteristic the radiated de- 
pression on the gill-covers, one, two, or more such depressions are app^' 
rent on those parts when divested of the large scales that adhere to tliem ; 
every scale, of which there are several on tlie gill-covers, leaving such 
a radiated depression on the thin membranaceous skin when taken off- 
-—Those particulars inclined us to believe Mr. Pennant was in soin^ 
measure misled by the imperfect state of the Scarborough specimen h® 
examined*, and our opinion has been since confirmed by various cit' 
* The figure of the Ballan wrasse in plaTe 44 of the British Zoology, seems to 
teen taken from a fish in a mulitated condition : the scales especially, which to ^ 
