miller's thumb. 



and after him Willoughby, represent the female as becoming 

 much distended with spawn, which she collects into little 

 lumps on her breast, where it is covered with a black membrane 

 until it is hatched. On the other hand Linnaeus says that she 

 forms a nest on the ground, to which Fleming adds that it 

 is made of a hole in the gravel, and there she broods over 

 it until they are produced to life. Blumenbach's representation 

 is, that it keeps watch over its nest. This species retains 

 life for many hours after it is taken from the water. It is 

 esteemed as food in those countries where very small fishes 

 are not disregarded. 



It grows to the length of three or four inches; the head 

 large, broad, and depressed; the front round, swelling at the 

 cheeks, with a crooked spine low on the gill-cover. Jaws 

 equal, with very small teeth; eyes small, high on the head, 

 with a depression obliquely before them. The body smooth, 

 tapering from the origin of the first dorsal fin to the tail. 

 The lateral line almost straight. The first dorsal fin begins a 

 little behind the root of the pectorals, and is low, with an 

 oval outline; the second dorsal near the first, and passing on 

 close to 4he tail, which is round; anal fin not quite so long 

 as the second dorsal; pectorals large, the rays bearing out 

 the membrane; ventral fins small; the rays of all the fins soft 

 and flexible. Colour, on a ground of dusky yellow, dark 

 bands or spots, in which the fins partake; white below. 



