ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 



77 



But if not specific it is a distinct variety, never to our knowledge 

 reaching the size of its congener, and not being found in the West 

 Highlands along with it. At least we have never taken any other 

 Top-Knot in the Oban district, where this fish is comparatively 

 common, not only in such enclosed lochs as Creran, but outside 

 Mull. It is always taken on rocky tangle-covered ground, does not 

 take a bait, and has all the richness of colouring that commonly 

 pertains to fishes that frequent the tangle area. I am not disposed 

 to look upon it as rare so much as frequenting ground whence it is 

 seldom taken. I have taken it now over a wide area in the West, 

 with the seine net, the dredge, and the trawl net, whenever these 

 latter infringed upon the rough ground in question. I believe it to 

 be an inshore fish, and consequently it has not such a quantity of 

 ova as more pelagic species. It is always fat and in good condition, 

 while it does not show great activity, so that I am disposed to look 

 upon its Top-Knot as probably employed as a lure, like the angle of 

 the Fishing-Frog (Lophins piscatorins), the very large mouth and head 

 turned turbot-wise mark it from the ordinary flat-fishes. There is 

 no reason why it should not take bait, if frequenting the ordinary 

 fishing grounds, not having the very small gape that probably saves 

 the Sole from the hook. The large brilliant spot that distinguishes 

 this fish is not sexual, and consequently cannot come under the 

 ordinary Darwinian explanation as if it had pertained only to the 

 male. — W. Anderson Smith, Ledai'2;, Oban. 



The Three-Bearded Roekling (Motella tricirrata, Bloch) in the 

 Solway Firth. — A specimen of the Three-Bearded Rockling, captured 

 at Carsethorn, was kindly given to me by Mr. Matthew Wood on the 

 2d of November last. I am not aware that this fish has ever been 

 captured locally before. Our shores are too shallow and sandy to 

 suit its tastes. In his well-known catalogue, prepared just about one 

 hundred years ago, Dr. Heysham, of Carlisle, included it amongst 

 Cumberland species, but without comment of any kind. 'I 'he 

 specimen measures 16 inches in length, and when fresh weighed 

 1 \ lbs. — Robert Service, Maxwelltown. 



Note on Rossia maerosoma, D. Ch. — This interesting little Cepha- 

 lopod was formerly looked upon as being exceedingly rare, but within 

 the last ten years I have supplied the principal museums with speci- 

 mens. Mr. Alfred Brown took one specimen in the Clyde area, but 

 its locale seemed very circumscribed. Of late, however, while I have 

 not again taken full-grown specimens on the shore at low water as 

 they struggled amongst the tangle, I have become more fully aware 

 that they are neither very rare nor very local. At all depths, and 

 wherever the ground was other than mud, I have taken them, some- 

 times in considerable numbers, during a day's operation. This 

 refers to the whole West of Scotland, outside the Mull of Cantvre 

 and up to the north of Skye. They appear possessed of considerable 



