M. Coste on the Habits of some Marine Animals, 199 



the Spotted Gunnell (Gurinellus vulgaris, Cuv. & Val.), the Grey 

 Mullet [Mugil Cephalus, Linn.), and the Five-bearded Rock-Ling 

 (Gadus Mustela, Linn.), come up to the surface of the water 

 when we approach to give them something to eat, follow the 

 movements which we make around them, allow themselves to 

 be conducted towards any points to which it is desired to attract 

 them, solicit their prey in the same way as tamed birds, and even 

 come to seek it in the hand. The Rock-Lings are so familiar, 

 that they may actually be captured, taken out of the water, re- 

 placed and recaptured, without attempting to make their escape. 

 The Gobies (Gobius niger, Linn., and Gobius minutus, Penn.) 

 and the Sea-Scorpion (Cottus Scorpius, Cuv. &Val.), although not 

 so familiar as those just mentioned, are nevertheless very atten- 

 tive to all that takes place around them, and also come to take 

 their food from the hand when it is presented to them. 



The Turbot (Rhombus maximus, Cuv.), which from its phy- 

 siognomy would be supposed destitute of expression, becomes 

 animated nevertheless at the sight of the bait which is held out 

 to him, and comes, agitating his broad fins, to take it from the 

 hand ; and when he is pressed by hunger, he will even float on 

 the surface until his desires are satisfied, if he be made to wait. 

 He swims with ease, and changes colour when he is irritated. 

 The spots which are scattered over his body become paler and 

 browner under the influence of the impression to which he is 

 subjected. But the most striking point about him, is to see 

 him, with apparently a narrow mouth, swallow, at once, fishes 

 proportionally of enormous size. We have seen a young indi- 

 vidual, not more than 25 centimetres in length, swallow sardines 

 of the largest size without any difficulty. 



The Pipe-fishes (Syngnathus Typhle, Linn.) present two curious 

 peculiarities in their habits. They group themselves by inter- 

 lacing their tails in such a way as to form tufts, and remain 

 immoveable in a vertical position with the head upwards. When 

 food is given to them, they move towards the prey as it is fall- 

 ing, follow it in its descent, and, as they approach it, perform a 

 movement of rotation upon their axis, so as to turn the back 

 downwards and the belly upwards. In this reversed position 

 they precipitate themselves upon the prey, and do not resume 

 their normal attitude until after they have seized it. This strange 

 manoeuvre is imposed upon them by the peculiar position of 

 their mouth, which is cleft vertically at the extremity of a turned- 

 up beak. The young animals, in which the buccal aperture has 

 not this arrangement at the moment when they issue from the 

 incubatory pouch, are not under the necessity of performing 

 any such evolution. They seize their food in the same way as 

 other fishes. 



14* 



