THE WRASSE, 
*2 3 
of the ventral has tire heft ray produced into a long fpine j 
the three firft rays of the anal fin are alfo fpinous *. 
The roftrum of the wraffe is protuberant, and bent up- 
wards ; and is farther lengthened by two thick flelhy 
lips, one of which projects upwards, while the other 
hangs down. The teeth are ferrated, the palate fmooth, 
while the lower part of the mouth is full of prickly 
teeth. 
The wraffe commonly weighs from four to five pounds: 
In its general figure it refembles a carp. Their fielh is 
neither palatable nor nutritive. By the French, as well 
as the Englijh, it is caiied the old wife, a name of which 
it is not eafy to affign the origin. There arc feven or 
eight diftinft fpecies of the wraffe enumerated by Mr, 
Pennant among the Britijb fifties ; tliefe, however, are 
chara&erifed by differences fo minute, that a particular 
defeription of each would afford but little information "f> 
* Willough, p. 330. f Brit. Zool. plafs iv. Gen. zy ' 
