174 YELLOW SKULPIN. 



This fish is common in the Mediterranean, and must therefore 

 have been known to the ancients, but from their want of 

 precision on subjects of natural history, it is not easy to 

 pronounce whether it be the same with the species known to 

 them by the name of Callionymus, which is the term adopted 

 by Linnaeus as the designation of the genus in which the 

 Yellow Skulpin is arranged. Some fish which bore this name 

 is referred to by the Greek comic poet Aristophanes, as 

 sufficiently known for popular allusion by the supposed property 

 of possessing a large abundance of gall. It is also mentioned 

 by Aristotle, and in later times by ^lian. Pliny further tells 

 us that with the Romans, in addition to the name of Callionymus, 

 it was known as the TJranoscopus, or Sky-gazer, because its 

 eyes were on the top of the head, with their vision directed 

 upward. This latter circumstance, in connection with the 

 former name, which recognises the beauty of its appearance, 

 may be supposed to point to the Yellow Skulpin, which 

 answers to both these particulars; but if any doubt remains 

 concerning it, we are not able to mention any other author 

 of a remote date who has given an account by which it can 

 be more definitely determined. 



Of the earlier writers of modern times we find that Jonston 

 and Willoughby have copied into their works (from Rondeletius) 

 the figures of a species which may have been intended for the 

 Yellow Skulpin; but these representations cannot be quoted 

 as a fair representation of the fish, since they shew the 

 lengthened rays of the first dorsal fin as of equal extent; and 

 it was only so late as about the middle of the seventeenth 

 century that Dr. Tyson was able to remove the doubts con- 

 cerning it as a species, and to shew that it was to be found 

 also in Britain. And with us it is far from uncommon, 

 although the habits of naturalists, rather than of the fish, have 

 caused it to be regarded as rare. 



Willoughby and his friend Ray were accustomed to visit the 

 markets in places they visited, for the purpose of obtaining 

 examples of such fishes as were brought thither for sale; but 

 it must happen that there are many sorts (as in our own 

 country the Yellow Skulpin) which are not of sufficient value 

 to be thus dealt with. Nor does the species now referred to 

 Irequeatiy take a bait, which, however, is not caused by any 



