366 FISHES. 



in the sand. The gobies are credited with the power of 

 changing colour when pursued — a phenomenon, however, 

 that I have not witnessed. 



The Black Goby, largest of our gobies (and also known 

 as the " Eock-Goby "), is common in rock -pools on most 



t Black parts of our coasts, clinging with its fins in 

 Goby. Qne typical position to the rock. It also fre- 

 quents brackish, even fresh, water, and its food consists 

 of small fishes and vegetable matter. In colour it is dull 

 brown, having white blotches on the sides. The tail is 

 not forked. This goby breeds in June. 



The " Polewig," as the Spotted Goby is often called, is 

 abundant in the estuary of the Thames, in fact all round 

 Spotted our coasts. A very small fish, it is quick 

 G-oby. iQ escape when disturbed. It feeds on crus- 

 taceans. In colour it is dark brown, with numerous 

 spots. 



The small Paganellus is very dark in hue, with some 

 reddish shades on the dorsal and anal fins. It is said 

 by Day to occur in both rocky and sandy 

 localities, and to breed in May or June. 



One of our smallest gobies, the Two-spotted Goby, has 

 a conspicuous black spot above the pectoral fin, and a 

 Two-spot- second on the tail. According to Harvie- 

 ted Goby. Brown and Buckley,^ this species is found 

 breeding in the neighbourhood of mussel-beds, its eggs 

 being deposited in the shell of that mollusc. 



There is, however, a still smaller species in the shape of 



White the White Goby, the length of which is i}^ 



Goby. inch. Tliis little fish is thought to sjiawn 



once and die ; and if this is correct, its life lasts but a 



1 Fauna of the Outer Hebrides, p, 194. 



