LABRU8. 
f “'ll gill-covers, covered with scales; lips 
tliA fi’ prominent; a single dorsal fin, having two orders of rays, 
tho first portion spinous, of which each one is tipped with a free 
membranous appendage. Ventral fins thoracic; the tail round or straight. 
The evenness of the border of the first gill-cover distinguishes this 
genus from Cremlalrug. ° 
rw! anciently appUed to this class or family of fishes was 
I Urdus, out, as a generic terra this is now appropriated to the thrushes 
among birds; and m both instances, as well as m the English name 
of the latter, it holds the same meaning, tho best known amongst 
them in each instance being mottled over with light-coloured spots. 
reason. 
JJut the name of Lalrus was also m use at a remote date and is 
characteristic of their prominent and fleshy lips, which arc the prin- 
cipal organs of acute sensation; but in English these fish bear the 
general name of Vrass, which is pronounced Wrath or Eath by 
fishermen of the West of England. The Eev. Mr. Johns, in Z 
descnption of the Linard Point in Cornwall, informs us ihat by the 
fishermen there they are called Eaagh, which may bo the aLiont 
British teim, as in pronunciation it approaches very neat to the Welsh 
name Gwrach, which signifies an old woman; the Latin form of 
f f'f"' ^0 “lore than 
^ it “ According to Eondeletius and Gosner, a 
name of the same signification, Vielle and Vieille, is applied to some 
of the same sorts of fishes in different parts of France. 
BALLAN WE, ASS. 
ratit. RAAGTI. UERGLE, in the Orkneys. Tie eminently 
the WRASS. 
JoNSTON. Willoughby; p. 820, X. 1, but it is not 
easy to assign the proper synonyms of this species 
as of some others, because both these writers 
speak more of the colours of these fishes, which 
vary greatly in different examples, than of their 
distinguishing fonns; as is the case also with Eisso. 
