﻿gill] THE SCULriN AND [TS HABITS 353 



free, and, not succeeding in this, seems quite indifferent to its fate, 

 seldom showing any marked sign of life, even though it is still alive." 

 It is, however, " not remarkably tenacious of life." 



The large open mouth betokens voracity, and appearances are not 

 ptive. " Rashness and voracity/' declares Smitt, are among 

 the " chief traits of its character. In the latter respect it is surpassed 

 by few if any fishes. Three Roach, each nearly ioo mm. long, have 

 been found in a Sea-Scorpion 220 mm. in length." The main food 

 supply is derived from "other fishes, though, especially in winter, 

 when the supply of fish is scanty, it does not despise crustaceans, 

 worms and mollusks." In fact it is omnivorous, and "it always 

 pays more attention to the quantity than to the quality of its food." 



Such were the observations recorded by Smitt, but Thomas Scott 

 (1902) and Van Beneden (1871) found chiefly crustaceans in the 

 stomachs of those examined by themselves. Van Beneden found 

 only a small Gurnard in one, but "otherwise the food consisted en- 

 tirely of crustaceans," while Scott found that, " in the stomachs of 

 seven specimens, all from the Bay of Nigg, near Aberdeen, the food 

 observed consisted altogether of Crustacea, and included larval De- 

 capods, the fragments of a Hermit Crab, Porcellana longicornis, 

 Idothea baltica, the Cypris stage of Balanus," etc. In fact the food 

 apparently depends very much on what the omnivorous fish can se- 

 cure. Inasmuch as the Sculpin is a sluggish animal, it is natural 

 that crabs and the like should be found more frequently than more 

 active creatures. It is remarkable, however, that mollusks and 

 worms should rarely be found. To that extent it appears to show 

 preference, for such can generally be easily secured by a fish. 



Observations of American Sculpins have confirmed those of the 

 European fishes. Girard (1850) "examined the contents of the 

 stomach of many marine and fresh-water Cottoids and in the 

 Acanthocotti" or Sculpins " of the Boston Bay found them to consist 

 of crabs" (Panopcas herbstii). Linton (1901) found "annelids, 

 copepods, shrimps, and young fish in the alimentary canals of young 

 specimens" of the Little Sculpin (M. cencus) and "many young 

 flounders and shrimps " were " taken from alimentary tracts of 

 young Sculpin from Katama Bay, April 28, 1900.". 



It is not entirely voiceless, for, when taken in the hand, it is apt 

 to utter a grumbling or rather gurgling sound, or cry, and hence 

 has been named in some places Grumbler or Growler (Grogneur) 

 and Sea-Cock (Coq de mer). 



These sounds were fully studied by Dufosse many years ago and 

 the results published (1874) in an elaborate memoir (Ann. Sc. Xat. 



