210 ACANTHOPTERYGIL 



Crustacea, annelids, star-fishes, and small mollu sea (Rissoa, Skenea, &c.)." It con- 

 sumes marine insects, and is said to be very destructive to the fry and eggs of other 

 fishes. Mr. Dunn observes MSS. : "I have a butter-fish, Couch, caught near the 

 surface of the sea in a pilchard net, three miles from land, in 35 fathoms of 

 water" (Dec. 28th, 1880). 



Means of capture. Generally by dredges, or hunting among the localities it 

 frequents when the tide is out. 



Breeding. Nilsson states its spawn to be deposited in November. Mr. Peach, 

 however, in June believed he discovered the spawn of this fish at Fowey, in 

 Cornwall. 



Uses. It forms a good bait for pollock, cod, mackerel, gurnards, &c, in some 

 places being used alive for this purpose, in others split up, the skin and vertebral 

 column being removed. 



As food. Its flesh is said to be hard and indifferent. But the Greenlanders 

 have been reputed to dry and salt them for their winter provisions. 



Habitat. Coasts of Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and Finland, to the British 

 Isles and France. In the Orkneys it is frequently found under stones at low 

 water-mark, or above it among the sea- ware (Lowe) ; also in Zetland (Baikie). 

 In the Moray Firth it is very common in pools below high water- mark (Gordon, 

 Zool. 1852, p. 3460) ; at Banff among low lying rocks (Edward) ; Aberdeen 

 (Sim) ; very common also in the Firth of Forth (Parnell) ; Berwickshire 

 (Johnston). In Norfolk, it has been mentioned as existing at Yarmouth 

 (Paget) and Cromer (Gurney), and not uncommon in Yorkshire (Fauna of 

 Yorkshire). Plentiful in the Lincolnshire flats (Yarrell), also in the Norfolk 

 estuary (Lowe). Along the south coast, being very numerous off Dorsetshire, 

 Devonshire, and Cornwall. It has likewise been reported from Anglesea 

 (Pennant). In Ireland very common around the coast at all seasons (Thompson). 



The one figured, life size, I captured from under a stone atDawlisb, in Devon- 

 shire. It attains to at least 11 inches in length. 



