■248 



SCAXDINAVIAX FISHES. 



extend over an area of many square inches of tlie under | 

 surface of tlie rock selected. Over these eggs the male ; 

 tish now mounts guard, vigorously repelling all would- 

 l)e intruders with whom he can cope on equal terms, 

 •ind in those instances in which the disturbing influences 

 are ;ippai-ently too strong for him — such as human 

 interference — resorting, in self-defence, to an artful 

 stratagem. On several occasions, when shore-collecting 

 in the Channel Islands, the writer has, in fact, on turn- 

 ing the rocks over in search of specimens, dislodged what 

 ■it first sight, from the apparently large size of its head, 

 was taken for a Bullhead (Cottus) but on closer exami- 

 nation proved to be an example of the Rock Goby, with 



its opercula and branchiostegal membranes abnormally 

 distended, with the evident intention of passing itself 

 off as one of those spiny-headed Coftidte which are not 

 to be handled with impunitv. A like imitation of a 

 hurtful or stronger form is adopted, as a means of pro- 

 tection, bv harmless and weaker species in many de- 

 partments of the Animal Kingdom." 



No special fishery is can-ied on and no special tackle 

 used for this fish. It is taken only by accident among 

 other fishes. In Sweden the flesh, though its flavour 

 is not disagreeable, is not used for human food, l)ut 

 is thrown away with other refuse as food for domestic 

 animals. (Ekstrom, Smitt.) 



GOBIUS FRIESII. 

 (Fig. 65.) 



Second (Jorsal iiii Jong, the leiif/fJi of its base being about equal to the distance between the first dorsal fin and 

 the tip of the snout. Peduncle of the tail short, but relativehj low, its least depth being less than ^2 the distance 

 between the first rags in the first and second dorsal fins, and its length from the end of the base of the second 

 dorsal fin to the first upper, supporting rag of the caudal fin about \, 3 of the base of the second dorsal fin. Longi- 

 tudinal diameter of the ege more than ' ^ of the length of the head. Caudal fin pointed. The two dorsal fi)is 

 well separated. Scales large, about 25 in a row along the sides of the bodg, and about 6 in a transverse roir 

 between the beginning of the anal fin and the second dorsal fin. In the front part of the bodg the scales extend 

 along the dorsal side to the posterior margin of the eyes, which are set very close together, and on Hie abdominal 

 side to a line with the point of union of the branchiostegal membranes to the isthmus. Bodg marked with golden 



or red or darker-coloured spots on a gellowish brown ground. 



Fig. 65. Gobius Friesii, from Giilliiiar Fjonl, 5th Jan.. 1838. Natural size. -Vfter v. Wright's figure in Fkies. 



^. Ar. 5:Z). 6|— \A.— -,P. 18 1. 10; F. > ,: C. .i-+ 13(14) + .r. 

 14'' 13' " 



Syn. Gobius gracilis, Fr., Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1838, p. 245, tab. 



IV, fig. 2; NiLSS., Skand. Fn., Fisk., p. 224. 

 Gobius cruentatus, Gthb (nee Lin.), Cat. Brit. .Vus., Fish., 



vol. Ill, p. 54 (in synon.). 

 Gobius Friesii, Malm, Skand. Naturf. Mode, Kbhvn 1873, Ber., 



p. 383; Coll., Christ. Vid. Selsk. Fork. 1874, p. 154: 



Malm, Gbgs, Boh. Fn., p. 425, Lillj., Sv., Norg. Fiskar. 

 I, p. 573. 



This Goby is one of the least-known species within 

 the genus, if indeed it do not finally prove, as Collett 

 suspected, to be identical with a ^lediterranean and 

 somewhat better known species, Gobius Lesueurii'. The 

 extent of the scales on the head in Gobius Friesii, and 



" According to Collett, 13. 

 „ „ 12. 



' Bisso, Hist. ^'at. Princ. Prod. Eur. M,'r., Tome III, p. 284: Cuv., Val.. Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. XII. p. 33: Ca.vertrki, Arch. 

 Zool., Anat., Fis., Geneva 1861, vol. I, p. 143, tab. VIII, fig. 2. 



