WRASSES. 
191 
bodied animals, mollusca, naked and shelled, and 
Crustacea, which afford to these fishes ample sus- 
tenance. Mr. Couch’s account of the habits of 
the Ballan Wrasse is probably applicable, with 
little variation, to all the species. It frequents 
deep gullies among rocks, where it shelters itself 
among the larger kinds of sea-weeds, and feeds 
upon crabs and other crustaceous animals. It 
takes a bait freely, and fishermen remark that 
when they first fish in a place, they take but few, 
and those of large size ; but on trying the 
same spot a few days after, they catch a greater 
number, and those smaller : from whence they 
conclude that the large fish assume the dominion 
of a district, and keep the younger at a distance. 
The spawn is shed in April; and the young, 
scarcely more than an inch in length, are seen 
about the margin of the rocks in shallow water, 
through the summer.” 
Some of the smaller species are occasionally 
taken in the wicker pots or creels set for crabs 
and lobsters ; these, being baited with pieces of 
decaying flesh, or the offal of fishes, are sunk in 
shallow water, and not unfrequently attract small 
fishes to enter through the openings made by 
elastic converging points ; entrance is easy enough, 
for the slender twigs yield to the pressure of the 
eager fish, but no sooner has it entered than these 
spring back to their former position, and present 
nothing but a close-set array of sharp points, which 
effectually preclude the hope of exit. 
They are of little value, however, when caught; 
their flesh is soft and ill-flavoured, and conse- 
quently the fishermen do not in general bring 
them to market, but cut them up to bait the 
