LESSER FORK BEARD. 123 



known a couple to be caught in one boat. It is probable 

 that it feels some influence of the seasons in its change of 

 quarters, and the impulse of spawning may also govern its 

 actions, as is the case with so large a proportion of other 

 fishes; but its coming nearer the land cannot be altogether 

 for this latter purp)Ose, since I have known it caught in the 

 middle of August, early in September, in January, and also 

 in April: in the last-named instance, when two or three 

 examples were taken, the roe appeared to be at the beginning 

 of its enlargement. That the young ones are produced at no 

 great distance from the coast appears ])robable, although they 

 are rarely met with; but INIr, Newman found several of small 

 size among sprats in London, and I learn from Charles H. 

 Gatty, Esq., F.L.S., that he obtained a small example at 

 Great Yarmouth. Nilsson classes this fish among those of 

 Scandinavia, and a representation of it, with some variation 

 of 'colour from our own, is given by Fries and Ekstrom, in 

 their beautiful work on the fishes ot that country. This fish 

 is not wanting in voracity; for, besides that most of the 

 examples which have been caught, were taken with a hook, 

 fragments of an echinus and the scales of a sprat have been 

 found in the stomach. A fisherman informed me that when 

 drawn up with a line it shewed itself to be a wild and 

 active fish. A few hours from the time of being caught, the 

 smell becomes strong and peculiar, not unlike that of the 

 llocklings. 



This fish seldom exceeds the length of twelve inches: the 

 head short, bulky, depressed, wide, rounded in front; eyes 

 large, prominent, forward; nostrils still nearer the snout; under 

 jaw shortest, with a short and thick barb. Teeth in both 

 jaws and the roof of the mouth, sharp and incurved. A 

 depression along the top of the head, separating the eyes, 

 which are wide asunder. Body wide, more compressed, and 

 becoming smaller towards the tail. First dorsal fin very small, 

 pointed, opposite the root of the pectorals; second dorsal 

 higher than the first; anal fin beginning opposite the termina- 

 tion of the pectoral, and, passing along parallel with the 

 second dorsal, both end nearly together a little short of the 

 tail. Pectoral fin round; ventrals with about six short rays, 

 and two longer; in a fish measiu'ing ten inches the longest of 



