38 
ACANTHOLABHUS. 
The body oblong, moderately compressed; dorsal spines many, as of 
twenty or more; anal spines more than three. 
The last particular in this generic definition is the only one in M'hich 
it differs from the other sections of the family of Wrasses; and, 
however convenient it may be for naturalists to constitute distinctions 
for the arrangement of a rather numerous famity, it must be remem- 
bered, that so apparently unimportant a matter, in itself also liable 
to variation, is not sufficient to constitute a natural separation of 
species into genera. 
SCALE-RAYED WRASS. 
Lah'us Iwscus, Loudon’s Magazine of Natural History, 
vol. V. 
“ “ Jenyns; Manual, p. 400. 
Acantholahms CouehU, CuviEii. 
“ “ Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. i, p. 306. 
“ “ Gunther; Cat. Br. Museum, vol. iv, p. 92. 
Thk earliest account of this species, (after the short note, 
with a sketch, in Loudon’s Magazine, as above referred to,) 
is in Mr. Yarrell’s “History of British Fishes;” and the scarcity 
of this fish may be supposed, when no other had been met 
with for a very long time. It happened, however, that as a 
fisherman lay at anchor off the Headman Point, on the south 
coast of Cornwall, where the depth of water was above fifty 
fathoms, an individual of this kind of Wrass took his hook. He 
was about to cut it in pieces, as is the common fate of the 
Wrasses when made bait for other fishes, and had already cut 
off a slice from the side, when it appeared to him that it 
was of a sort he had not seen before: it was accordingly 
preserved for my use. A drawing in consequence, as well as 
a description, was taken from it; and after being preserved. 
