154 ACANTHOPTERYGII. MAILED CHEEKS. 



brown, whitish beneath, with spots of light brown 

 sometimes on a ground of brilliant scarlet ; the fins 

 are marbled black and white, sometimes striped 

 with red ; but in fact the tints vary, sometimes with 

 the season of the year, and are most vivid, according 

 to Dr. Parnell in July and August, when the roe is 

 far advanced tow^ards maturity. This fish is very 

 common on our shores, and is often captured both 

 with the hook and net. It abounds in the Frith of 

 Forth In the autumn months, sometimes exceeding 

 a foot in length. 



(Sp. 22.) C. liihalis. The Long-spined Cottus. 

 Father-lasher. (PI. lY.) In this fish there are four 

 spines in the gill-cover, the longest of which extends 

 somewhat behind it, and the lateral line is rough. 

 These and other specified characters, pointed out by 

 M.M. Cuvier and Valenciennes, make it an easy 

 matter to discriminate between this species and the 

 foregoing. In the tinting they very much agree : the 

 usual length is from six to ten inches ; it appears to 

 spaw^n in January, the ova being large and of a fine 

 deep yellow colour ; these are deposited frequently 

 in estuaries, and even in rivers, the fish having pre- 

 pared itself for the change by remaining a time in 

 brackish water. During the greater part of the 

 year it abounds all round our coasts, and is often left 

 in the receding tide in small pools. When touched, 

 it projects its gill-covers, and by bristling up its 

 spines, presents a formidable appearance. Though 

 seldom used as food with us, yet in Greenland it is 

 in great request, according to Pallas being there 



