54 A Guide to the Zoological Collections 



with the colours of the sea-weeds, encrusted rocks, etc., 

 to which they cling with their arm-like pectoral fins. 

 They are the only Indian Pediculates that possess an 

 air-bladder. 



Genus 2. Lophius. The Fishing-frogs proper live on 

 the bottom. They have a large disk-like head and 

 a cavernous mouth with numerous sharp teeth sloping in- 

 wards. The first dorsal spine is very long and ends in 

 a tassel ; and it can be bent forwards so that the tassel 

 hangs in front of the mouth. This long modified spine 

 and its tassel form, in fact, a fishing-rod and bait. The 

 fish lies concealed in the mud at the bottom of the sea, 

 the concealment being assisted not only by the colour 

 of the fish but also by the curious frond-like tags of skin 

 with which its body and fins are fringed : in this position 

 it "plays" its fishing-rod, and, when other fish are attract- 

 ed to the bait, has only to open its enormous mouth. 

 Four species of Lophius are found in Indian waters, at 

 depths between 25 and 400 fathoms. The other species of 

 Lophius occur in all parts of the Atlantic, in the Mediter- 

 ranean, and in the seas opening into the Western Pacific. 

 Genus 3. Ceratias. One species of this genus is found 

 in Indian waters. It lives at great depths, and its 

 habits are probably the same as those of Lophius ; but, 

 as there is no daylight at these depths, the lure at the 

 end of the " fishing-rod " is a luminous organ, which, 

 in all probability, is extremely efficacious, as fishes are 

 known to be readily attracted by a light. The other 

 species of Ceratias occur at great depths off the coast 

 of Greenland, in the Atlantic, and in the seas of the 

 Western Pacific system. 



Genus 4. Onirodes. One species is an inhabitant of 

 the great depths of the Bay of Bengal. It chiefly differs 

 from Ceratias in having a smooth skin. The only other 

 species known was taken off the coast of Greenland. 



