MILLERS THUMB. 7 



brown, as is also the tail, which assumes a barred appearance ; g-ill cover ting-ed with greenish 

 pearl; head without scales. The fin rays are 



Dorsal 13 — 15 spinous + 12 flexible. 



Pectoral 13. 



Ventral i spinous + 5 flexible. 



Anal 2 spinous + 5 — 6. 



Caudal 17. 



Coeca pyloric 3, as in the Perch. Lateral line distinct. 



The specimen from which the illustration was made was supplied by Mr. MasefielJ, of 

 Ellerton Hall, and was taken from a canal in November, 1877. 



Orda- T. 

 A CANTHOPTERYGII. 



Fa mil V 

 TRIGLID.F.. 



^MILLER'S JhUMB. 



BULLHEAD. TOMMY LOGGE. 



{Cot I US gobio.) 



KOTTOS, 



Coitus, 

 Coitus gobio. 



Aristot., H. a. iv. 8 § 9; Boiros in Gesner De Aquat. p. 401. 

 Rondel., ii. p. 202. 



LiNx. ; Cl'V. AND V.iLENc; Block; V.^rrt.ll, i. p. 71; Colxh, Fish. Brit. \A. 

 ii. p. 6; GiJNTHEK, Cat. ii. p. 156. 



Characters of the Genus CoTXU.s. — " Head broad, depressed, rounded in front ; bod)' subc3-lindrical, compressed 

 posteriori}'; head and body covered with a soft and scaleless skin; lateral line present. Two dorsals of moderate 

 height. Pectoral rounded, with some or all the rays simple. Ventral thoracic. Jaws and vomer with villiform teeth 

 (vomerine teeth sometimes absent;) none on the palate. Air-bladder none; pyloric appendages in moderate number." 



GiiNTHER. 



THIS curiously-shaped little fi.sh, I think there is no doubt, is mentioned by Aristotle 

 when he is speaking on the question whether fishes are able to hear ; he says " there 

 occur in rivers certain little fish, found under stones, which some people call Co/fi ; from 

 their lying- under stones people catch them by striking the rocks with stones, when the fish 

 being stunned fall out, whence it is evident that fish have the sense of hearing-." The 

 Greek word coliiis means a head, and the little river fish with a large head which is common 

 under stones, can be no other than our Bullhead. Gesner has given a good description and 

 a recognisable figure of Cottns gobio. This fish is found in the fresh waters of Europe, and, 

 as Giinther says, probably of Northern Asia; it occurs in almost all the fresh-water streams 

 of Europe from Italy to Scandinavia. It is said to be common in Scotland, but according 

 to Thompson it is not found in Ireland. Yarrell, however, mentions its occurrence about 



