t) 



COTTUS. 



The head broad, depressed, rounded in front. Body compressed 

 behind; head and body covered with a soft skin, without scales. Two 

 dorsal fins of moderate height. Slight teeth in the jaws and front of 

 the vomer. I^o air-bladder. 



MILLER'S THUMB. 



RIVER BULLHEAD. 



Gohius capitatus, Jonston; pi. 29, fig. 11. 



WiLLOuGHBY; p. 137, Table H. 3, f. 4. 

 Coitus gohio, Linnaeus. Cuvier. 



Bloch; pi. 39, f. 2. DoxovAX; pi. 80. 

 " " Lacepede. Fleming; Br. An., p. 216. 



Jenyns; Manual, p. 343. 

 " " Taekell; Br. Fishes, vol. i. p. 71. 



Cotte chahot, Gijnthek; Cat. Br. M., vol. ii, p. 159. 



This little fisli is well known in most of the gravelly streams 

 of tlie United Kingdom, and is also found in the cooler districts 

 of Europe and Asia, where it hides itself under stones, from 

 which, in changing place or seeking its prey, it may rather 

 be said to dart itself than to swim, so sudden and quick are 

 its usual motions. Its food is the smaller animals of fresh 

 water, the spawn of fish, and also the young ones in the 

 early stage of their existence, whilst itself becomes the prey 

 of the larger natives of the stream. As might be expected, 

 it readily takes a bait, but its skin is so slij^pery as to glide 

 through the fingers when an attempt is made to grasp it. 



They are said to drop their spawn towards the end of 

 March, and the manner in which this business is conducted 

 has been differently described by different writers. Jonston, 



