28 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



stems of sea-plants, its eyes large in proportion to its head, directed in pursuit of 

 the soft molluscous animals upon which it preys. Through the kindness of Dr. 

 Farran, I obtained a specimen from the South Coast Of the Mugilidse, the mullets 

 are among the most lively and playful of our harbour fish. The grey mullet 

 Mugil capita) are in great numbers in Ventry harbour, and of large size. Every 

 water seems suited to their growth— salt, brackish, and fresh — and they are easily 

 fed. The atherine, or sand-smelt (Atherina presbyter) are in abundance in Dingle 

 harbour, and frequent sandy inlets in the winter and spring months in great num- 

 bers, at which seasons they are in prime state for the table. They are in Dingle 

 harbour all through the year, but in spring, approach the shore to spawn. The 

 next contains a great many pretty species among the Gobiodiae, or the gobies. The 

 spotted gunnell (Gunnellus gullata) is very numerous in Dingle harbour, and 

 called the butter-fish, from the unctious feel of the body. It is every tint of rich 

 brown, yellow, and purple ; and the large dark spots in some specimens are very- 

 conspicuous along the line of the dorsal fin. Young specimens of the sea-wolf 

 Anarrhecus lupus) have been taken in Dingle harbour. The black gobie — Gobius 

 niger — beautiful in the spawning seasons with the deeper shades it assumes, and 

 the rich orange tints of its dorsal fins, are plentiful in Dingle harbour ; and also the 

 spotted, the one-spotted, and the double-spotted gobies have all been taken in 

 Dingle and Ventry harbours. In Ventry harbour I met with a very beautiful 

 species, presumed to be the Gobius reticulatus, peculiar to the Mediterranean, and 

 distinguished by the rich rosy tints of its dorsal fins. In a calm and sunny day, in 

 the month of August, and in a little sheltered inlet in Sneem harbour, I watched 

 for some time the movements of multitudes of gobies. I was surprised at the 

 number of black gobie, which occupied, with their young, a muddy recess between 

 rocks, from which they occasionally darted, seizing and returning with their prey. 

 The shanny (Pholis laevis) was more exposed, and in sandy grounds ; they occa- 

 sionally rose to the surface perpendicularly with the aid of the pectoral fins, and with 

 the aid of the same movement appeared singularly to raise themselves, or creep up 

 the face of any perpendicular rock or stone. Both these species had numerous young, 

 which they seemed carefully to protect. The speckled gobies were in clear, sandy 

 and sunny spots, aud the two-spotted gobies remained near the surface, perfectly 

 motionless. Of the dragonets I have only met in the harbour the Sordid dragonet 

 (C. dracunculus), which possesses no beauty. The family of Wrasses, or Labridae, 

 vie with all others in the brilliancy and gaudiness of their colours. Of these I have 

 obtained Labrus maculata, L. lineatus, and L. variegatus, and beautiful speci- 

 mens of the three spotted wras3e L. trimaculatus, in Valencia harbour — its 

 colour most brilliant rose and reddish orange. In the sean, in Dingle harbour, 

 I have taken the Comber wrasse (L. Comber), and a beautiful little wrasse marked 

 with a lateral band, similar to the Rainbow wrasse, but having the abdomen reddish, 

 and the head marked with wavy orange lines. The Goldsinny, or Goldfinny (Cre- 

 nilasbrus cornubrensis), I have taken in numbers ; it is an extremely beautiful fish. 

 I am certain that others of the Crenalabri will be met with on the coast of Kerry, 

 and even some that are peculiar to the Mediterranean. There is no class of fishes 

 that would be more beautiful in a vivarium, nor none that could be more easily fed, 

 living as they do upon Crustacea and the harder mollusca, which their jaws, armed 

 with strong conical teeth, enable them to crush. The Esocidae include the garfish 

 (Esox vulgare), and which, in the young state, has afforded to me some degree of 

 interest in the examination, particularly with reference to the supposed existence in 

 our seas of a species of Hoemiramphus. However, the numerous opportunities I 

 had of examining the different stages of growth, confirmed me in the opinion that the 

 Hoemiramphus Europaeus was no other than the young of the garfish, and that the 

 young state of Esox alone presented an undeveloped form of the upper jaw, but 

 which gradually extended in growth until maturity perfected its equal development 

 with the lower "jaw. In July, immense numbers enter the harbours of Dingle and 

 Ventry, seeking the fry of other fish, and to spawn, and they are taken in numbers 

 in the sean, little cared for as food, but are eagerly bought up by the fishermen for 

 bait. In October and November, the young appear. There are multitudes of others 

 I shall pass over, and some, although taken in the harbours, much longer continue 

 in fresh water, as the Salmonide, and which merely frequent at periods the salt water 



