GOBIID^E. 101 



Gobius niger, Donov. Brit. Fish. pi. civ. ; Fleming, Brit. Vert. p. 206. 



Gobius bipunctatus, Yarrell, Brit. Fishes (Ed. 1) i, p. 255 ; Jenyns, Manual, 

 p. 386 ; Parnell, Fishes Firth of Forth, p. 86, pi. xxix, and Wern. Mem. vii, 

 p. 246, pi. xxix; Johnston, Berwick. Field Club, 1838, i, p. 172; Mcintosh, 

 Fish. North Uist. P. R. S. Edin. v, 1862-66, p. 614 ; Collett, Norges Fis. p. 58 ; 

 Winther, Ich. Dan. Mar. 1879, p. 17. 



Two-spotted goby, Conch, Fish. Brit. Isles, ii, p. 162, pi. c, fig. 3. 



Gobius biocellatus, or broad-finned goby. Couch, 1. c. p. 165, pi. ci, f. 1 (not 

 Cuv. and Val.). 



Gobius pusillus, Lowe, Fauna of Norfolk, Fishes p. 12 (not Canestrini). 



B. v, D. 7/T-oixr, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. l ro C. 15, L. 1. 34-40, L. tr. 11. 



Length of head 4j, of caudal fin 5 to 5|, height of body 6 in the total length. 

 Eyes high up, separated by a very narrow interorbital space, diameter 3j in 

 the length of the head, 3/4 of a diameter from the end of the snout and also 

 apart. Head as high as wide : snont obtuse. Cleft of mouth oblique, commencing 

 opposite the upper third of the orbit, lower jaw prominent : the maxilla reaches 

 posteriorly to beneath the first third or middle of the orbit, no perceptible rows 

 of warts on the head. Teeth several rows of pointed ones in both jaws, the 

 outer row in the fore portion of the mandibles being considerably the largest and 

 slightly curved. Fins the dorsals placed rather far asunder, the extent of the 

 interspace being equal to nearly half the length of the base of the first dorsal, 

 the longest spines of which latter fin are nearly equal to the height of the body 

 below it, and also to the rays of the second dorsal : the length of the candal 

 pedicle equals that of the head so far as the hind edge of the preopercle. Pectoral, 

 without any of its upper rays being silk-like, reaches as far as to above the end 

 of the ventrals, which latter do not extend to so far as the anns. Caudal cut 

 almost square. Scales angular in their exposed portion and strongly ctenoid : 

 11 rows between the origins of the second dorsal and anal fins : anterior to the 

 first dorsal fin they are absent, while there are none on the cheeks or gill covers. 

 Colours body of a cinnamon colour, becoming light beneath : the darker tinge 

 of the back descending in a wavy or irregular manner on the sides. A black spot 

 on the side opposite the outer half of the pectoral fin, and a second at the base 

 of the caudal. Fins pale, with two rows of light coloured spots along either 

 dorsal, wavy vertical bands on the caudal, and a light edge having a darker base 

 along the anal. A dark band from the eye to the corner of the mouth. 



The dark spot behind or above the middle of the pectoral fin is sometimes 

 absent, while it seems to be frequently lost in specimens which have been kept 

 long in spirit. Tarrell's variety of G. unipunctatus, with seven dorsal spines 

 (Ed. 3, page 239), was probably G. Buthensparri. 



Mr. A. Roberts, curator of the Scarborough Museum, observed that the 

 female is fully one-third longer than the male, and has only one spot at the base 

 of the caudal fin, whereas the male has two. For several years he bred these fishes 

 in confinement, and thus possessed opportunities for watching them. 



Couch considered his G. biocellatus to differ from G. Buthensparri, more 

 especially in the greater elevation of the second dorsal fin. Dr. Lowe, 1. c. 

 described his G. pusillus, which he has since ascertained has six or seven spines 

 in the first dorsal fin, and of which he has been so good as to send me a figure. 



Name. Dotible- spotted goby, due to its colours. 



Habits. Prefers rocky situations, and does not appear to frequent sandy 

 localities. According to Parnell, it keeps but a short distance from below the 

 surface of the water, apparently in a motionless position, assuming in this respect 

 much the habits of the stickleback : when approached, it gradually lowers itself 

 into the deep and soon disappears, by making short though rapid darts among 

 the fuci, which it delights to frequent. Dr. Lowe observes of G. pusillus, that 

 " when transferred to an aquarium, from the pool in which they were discovered, 

 they lived for a long time in quite fresh water if gradually accustomed to it, 

 but when suddenly placed in cold fresh water they were apparently asphyxiated, 

 all the fins becoming rigidly expanded. They took food readily from the hand, 



11 



