﻿GILL] the sculpin \\I> ITS HABITS 35 r 



ders of the .Mediterranean. It is also in limited use in California 

 for another species of Scorpcena (S. guttata). 



In England, Sculpin is not recorded as a name of this fish, its prin- 

 cipal vernacular names there being Sea-scorpion and Sling-fish; 

 Gundie and Sutor are Scotch names. A distantly related species 

 {M. bubalis) is called in England Father-lasher and in Scotland 

 Lucky-proach. 



Ill 



The most common and longest known of the species is the Myxo- 

 cephalus scorpio of the North Atlantic. This is distinguished from 

 its fellows by the moderate uppermost preopercular spine (which is 

 about as long as the diameter of the eye and only about twice as long 

 as the one next below), and the number of fin rays (generally D. X, 

 17; A. 14). 



The sexes are strongly differentiated from each other when mature 

 and especially during the breeding season ; so trenchantly, indeed, 

 that it was long before they were considered to belong to the same 

 species, and fishermen even, notably in Sweden, " regard them as two 

 distinct kinds of fishes." 



The male has more developed fins, i. e., higher dorsal and anal and 

 longer pectoral and ventral, and the pectoral and ventral are muri- 

 cated on their inner surfaces, a variable number of pectoral rays 

 (from the fifth to the eleventh) being studded inside with minute 

 spinous tubercles. The colors are bright and the belly is reddish or 

 copper-colored and diversified with large, pure white spots, and the 

 ventrals are white, banded with blackish or red on the rays. 



The female has lower and shorter fins, i. e., comparatively low 

 dorsal and anal and shorter pectoral and ventral fins, and the last 

 are smooth on their inner surfaces. The lateral tubercles of the body 

 are also sparse or almost wanting, thus contrasting with the many 

 of the male. The colors are dull, the belly being dirty yellow and 

 the ventral are also yellow, but banded with black. 



Such are the typical characteristics, but there is much independent 

 variation with age and condition in the species. 



There is considerable variation in size, and, if the Greenland form 

 is considered conspecific, it is remarkable. Its size may be said to 

 increase roughly with the latitude. The Arctic or Greenland Sculpin 

 is claimed sometimes to attain a length of more than three or even six 

 feet. 1 The usual size of the Sea Scorpion in Scandinavian waters is 



1 Day, in The Fishes of Great Britain (1, 45), asserts that "the largest va- 

 riety (C. Groenlandicus) is reputed to attain to 6 feet in length."' I know of 

 no authority for such a statement and doubt whether the fish ever grows 

 much or any more than 3 feet long. 



