1890-91.] TJic Conunon Lump-fish. 413 



ing, they invariably beat the fish, in order to kill it before 

 swallowing it, according to hereditary instinct ; and it is most 

 amusing to see my pet bird beating a bit of beef in the same 

 manner as a live fish. Minnows, sticklebacks, small parr, and 

 troiit constitute the staple food of the kingfisher, though I 

 am of opinion that they also eat aquatic insects. It has fre- 

 quently been asserted that they devour ova, and consequently 

 are destructive to salmon. This I do not believe, as while the 

 bird which I now exhibit will eat fish, flesh, or fowl, it cannot 

 be induced to eat salmon-roe. It is, however, extremely dan- 

 gerous to rest any theory upon an experiment when dissociat- 

 ing birds from their natural environments, and placing them 

 in captivity ; and as I have never killed kingfishers for the 

 purpose of dissecting them to discover what the gizzard con- 

 tained, I shall not dogmatise on this point. 



[]\Ir Speedy then proceeded to show a tame kingfisher in the 

 act of killing and swallowing sticklebacks, as above described. 

 It may be added that this pet bird died a few weeks after 

 being thus exhibited to the members of the Society, having 

 succumbed to the effects of a sudden and intense frost.] 



At this meeting a number of interesting microscopic objects 

 were exhibited by the following members of the Society : Dr 

 Arthur E. Davies ; Messrs Coats, Crawford, Forgan, Lindsay, 

 Wright, and A. Moffat, secretary. Mr A. B. Herbert also 

 exhibited a viper and a live slow-worm. 



in.— THE COMMON LUMP-FISH. 



By Mr SOMMERVILLE GRIEVE. 



{Read Jan. 3S, ISOl.) 



The lump-fish (Cijcloptencs lumpus), locally known as " cock 

 paddle " and " lump-sucker," is a native of the northern seas. 

 It is an odd and clumsy fish, with a deep body covered by 

 spinous processes, and has its sides adorned with bony scales, 



