Parrot-fish

Parrot-fish, or PARROT-WRASSE (Scarus), a genus of fishes of the family Labridæ. The name seems to refer to the frequently bright colours, and partly to the shape of the mouth; for the jaws form a strong and sharp beak, and the teeth are soldered together. Over a hundred species are known, especially from the tropical coral-banks, on which they browse. The most northern species (S. cretensis) is the famous Scarus, about which Greek and Roman epicures were extraordinarily enthusiastic. Wonderful stories were told of its love, its wisdom, its habit of rumination, and the sounds which it makes. Pliny relates that in the reign of the Emperor Claudius a lot of Scari were brought from the Troad, released in the Italian sea, and strictly protected for five years till they became very abundant. The fish feeds chiefly on Fucus, and is certainly very palatable.