BY J. DOUGLAS OGILBY. 739 



the orbit to the base of the pectoral and sometimes a second 

 parallel band to the axil; dorsal rays j^ellow, the spinous porticjn 

 with two series of spots, the posterior of which are chestnut; the 

 soft portion with four or five series of subequal chestnut spots or 

 with a basal series of large and numerous small scattered spots; 

 caudal fin violet, the rays with alternate transveVse bars of white 

 or yellow and chestnut spots; anal fin oi'ange in the ^, golden in 

 the 9 with a broad lilac or gray marginal band; ventral fins violet, 

 with the outer borders white or golden ; pectoral fins yellow 

 bordered with gray and with a basal purple band which is 

 succeeded by a conspicuous broad stripe of orange or gold, behind 

 which a more or less distinct dusky liand may be present; a large 

 purple spot in the axil of the pectoral and another at the root of 

 the caudal present or absent. 



The description of the colouration given abo%'e is drawn up 

 from a series of specimens taken during the breeding season, and 

 i*eprescnts, therefore, the nuptial dress of this fine species. 



Irrespective of any difference in colour — which indeed is a 

 mere matter of shade — an analysis of the above description shows 

 that the male fish may at all times be distinguished from the 

 female by the two following characters : — 



(1) The shape and size of the genital papilla; and 



(2) The greater comparative length of the fin I'ays, especially 

 those of the posterior portion of the soft dorsal and the anal, and 

 the fourth soft ray of the ventrals. 



In addition to these, the caudal peduncle appears to be distinctly 

 shorter 'and deeper in the adult male than in a female of the 

 same size. 



In the metropolitan district these Gudgeons deposit their spawn 

 during the latter half of April and the beginning of May, and as 

 soon as this important function has been completed they retire to 

 their winter quarters and do not again make their appearance 

 until the ensuing spring ; during the intervening months they 

 remain quiescent and cannot be taken either by hook or net, but 

 I am unable to say precisely whether they merely conceal them- 

 -selves under stones and snags or in holes in the bank or completely 



