considered as the young o/'Cycl. lumpus. 41 



spine, but of a spurious dorsal fin, an expression most appli- 

 cable to those before me — this spurious fin is comparatively 

 longer in small than in large individuals. One of my specimens, 

 10 lines in length, conspicuously presents three tubercles on 

 the centre of body, where Cycl. minutus is stated to have two 

 (" in mediis lateribus, supra pinnas pectorales proxime ad si- 

 num branchialem tubercula duo ossea," &c, Pallas), but at the 

 same time on close inspection has a few spines beginning to ap- 

 pear on the ridge of the back and on each side of the belly as 

 in C. lumpus ; but these are not more than ^ the size of those 

 on the middle of the body — the spines on this row (the central 

 one) are much larger than those forming the other rows in a 

 fully armed specimen of C. lumpus (as to the rows of tubercles) 

 an inch in length. The fact of these tubercles first making 

 their appearance on this line and beginning to do so near the 

 head, may explain why these only should be described in ex- 

 amples of a certain size. 



Mr. Couch mentions with some doubt as to its species, a 

 small Cyclopterus taken on the coast of Cornwall. He states 

 that " it is rarely found longer than an inch, and differs from 

 the C. lumpus in the skin between the [rows of] tubercles 

 being quite smooth." Linn. Trans, vol. xiv. p. 87. Captain 

 J. C. Ross is disposed to consider it the Cycl. minutus ; Pall., 

 (App. Ross, 2ndVoy. p. xlvi.) which I am likewise inclined to 

 do in so far as an incidental description will warrant such a 

 conclusion ; and at the same time, with the single difference 

 pointed out between it and C. lumpus, I should consider it this 

 species, as in the very young state tubercles such as cover 

 over the skin of the adult fish are not apparent. 



The specimens otherwise agreeing with the description of 

 Cycl. minutus, after having been preserved in spirits for two 

 years, are of an uniform pale dusky tinge ; the ground or ge- 

 neral colour is light, but being densely dotted over with ex- 

 tremely minute black points, (visible under a lens,) these give 

 the appearance described. As before stated, both specimens 

 of Gob. minutus, Mull., have likewise these very minute dots, 

 though much more sparingly ; but in addition to them exhibit 

 the larger reddish spots — another individual similar to these 

 in size is of a light colour, blotched with dusky markings 



