ITS FEROCITY. 101 



wliicli was in a moment engulfed in the capacious 

 throat. The Blackie glared like a demon as with 

 dilated head he held fast his victim^ clutching further 

 and further hold by repeated jerks : the delicate, pel- 

 lucid head of the unfortmiate prey, projecting from 

 the cavernous mouth, panted and rolled its eyes in 

 pain, but there was no escape ; for now nothing was 

 visible but the head, when the ferocious victor shot 

 under an umbrageous weed, and on my next sight of 

 him all trace of his meal was gone. 



The ferocity of this little fish is manifested even 

 towards its own species ; one can scarcely come within 

 sight of another without the stronger darting at the 

 weaker, and pursuing him with pertinacity for a con- 

 siderable distance, following him in all his doublings 

 and shifts, and through all the crevices and passages 

 which he essays in flight, for some time. 



The Black Goby habitually loves retirement ; lurk- 

 ing under the shelter of the rocks and weeds, yet often 

 coming into view. He proceeds by starts, as if with 

 efforts, shooting a few inches, and resting a while 

 between the strokes, never floating and tm-ning about 

 in the water, like surface-fishes. Near the bottom is 

 his proper sphere ; he never comes near the surface 

 except when, very hungiy and eager, he sees a frag- 

 ment of food at the top, and shoots up perpendicularly 

 to seize it, turning instantly downward to his depths 

 again. 



The colom-s of this fish are subject to great change, 

 probably connected with the passions. When it 

 seizes its food, especially if it is a living prey, the 

 general hue is a dull bluish black, nearly uniform, but 



