193 



MONTAGU'S SUCKER. 



Liparis Montarjui, Cuvier. Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 190. 



Cyclopterus Montagui, Jenyns; Manual, p. 473. 

 Liparis Montagui, Tarkell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 374. 



" " GuNTHER; Catalogue Br. Museum, 



vol. iii, p. 161. 



This s^jecies was first described by George Montagu, Esq., 

 wbo was commonly known as Colonel Montagu; and from that 

 circumstance it obtained its secondary name. It is common on 

 the shores of Cornwall and Devon, and also, as we learn from 

 Mr. Thompson, round the coasts of Ireland; but it becomes 

 more rare as we proceed northward or greatly to the south, 

 although, as Mr. Peach informs me, an example has been obtained 

 at Wick, in Scotland. With us it is seldom taken beyond the 

 depth of four or five fathoms; and in the spring we discover 

 it near low water mark, not unfrequently left by the tide and 

 lying hid under a stone; in which position when uncovered, 

 without much effort to escape, it usually assumes the curious 

 habit of throwing its tail forward towards the side of the head. 

 Its .time of spawning is in the spring, and it has been seen 

 greatly distended with spawn at the middle of April, the spawn 

 lying very loose in the ovary. As food four examples of the 

 Sandhopper have been taken from the stomach of a single 

 individual. Some individuals of full growth were placed in a 

 bottle with sea-water, where they readily attached themselves 

 by the sucker to the sides, and even to the toj) with their 

 backs downward; and when they chose to shift their places 

 they as readily attached themselves to the fixed object again. 

 At times their motions were lively, but at other times the con- 

 trary. The actions of the dorsal fin appeared as if the hinder 

 portion only moved; and as the structure of the anterior portion 



VOL. II, 2 C 



