302 



ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



GOBIAD/E. 



GOB I AD JE. 



THE SORDID DRAGONET. 

 FOX. Kentish coast. SKULPIN. Cornwall. 



Callionymus dracunculus, LINNAEUS. 



,, ,, CUVJEU, Regne An. t. ii. p. 247. 



,, ,, Cuv. et VALENC. Hist. Nat. cles Poiss. t. xii. p. 274. 



,, ,, Sordid Dragonet, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 224, 



pi. 32. 



,, ,, ,, ,, DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 84. 



,, ,, ,, ,, JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 389. 



THE SORDID DRAGONET, so called probably from the 

 dingy hue of its colours as compared with those of its generic 

 companion, is the most common species of the two on various 

 parts of the coast, but generally occurs of small size. It is 

 frequently taken at the mouth of the Thames, where, on 

 account of its reddish appearance, it is called the Fox. 



Though considered distinct by Pallas, the general accord- 

 ance in the situation of the fins and the number of fin-rays in 

 these two examples of Dragonets, has induced a suspicion, 

 first entertained by Gmclin, that the two fishes are but males 

 and females of the same species. Mr. Ncill, in the Wer- 

 nerian Memoirs, vol. i. p. 529, supports this opinion ; having 

 found that the specimens of C. lyra examined by him 

 were all males, while those considered as C. dracunculus 

 were all females. Dr. George Johnston, of Berwick, has, 

 on the other hand, recorded in the third volume of the 



