THE SORDID DRAGONET. 251 



sides, reddish brown, mottled with dark-brown ; belly dull white . 

 ventrals dusky ; pectoral and anal fins white ; dorsals pale uniform 

 brown ; irides yellowish. First dorsal fin commencing over the base 

 of the pectorals ; the first ray the longest, reaching to the third ray 

 of the second dorsal fin ; the second raj* nearly of the same length as 

 the first ; the third and fourth much shorter ; second dorsal fin com- 

 mencing close behind the termination of the first, and ending in 

 a line over the last anal ray but three ; the first ray of the same 

 height as the second ray of the first dorsal, the seventh and eighth ray 

 the shortest, the last not longer than the first ; all simple except the 

 terminating one which is branched. Anal fin commencing in a 

 line under the third ray of the second dorsal ; the last ray the long- 

 est ; pectorals pointed, middle ray the longest, extending to the third 

 ray of the anal, all branched except the first ; ventrals placed before 

 the pectorals, the first ray not half the length of the last, which is the 

 longest, reaching to the first ray of the anal ; the first four rays branched 

 on one side only. Caudal fin rounded at the end, all the rays 

 branched except the first on each side. Eyes rather large, placed 

 high on the head, approximating ; under jaw the shortest. Teeth 

 small and fine, placed in many rows in front of each jaw, none on the 

 tongue, vomer, or palatines ; lateral line prominent, commencing im- 

 mediately over the branchial aperture, taking a slight bend over the 

 base of the pectorals, from thence passing straight to the tail ; on the 

 nape it joins with its fellow on the opposite side, by extending 

 across the occiput ; body smooth without scales. Number of fin 

 rays — 



1st D. 4 ; 2d D. 9 ; P. 20 ; V. 5 ; A. 9 ; C. 10. 



This species like the last appears to be widely distributed, 

 and is found frequenting the same places. According to 

 Dr Neill it is rather common near the mouth of the Firth 

 of Forth, where it inhabits water from twelve to twenty 

 fathoms deep, and is often taken on haddock lines baited 

 with mussels. I have occasionally seen specimens taken 

 myself from this locality, and off North Berwick and Largo, 

 but it is seldom found higher up the estuary than Inchcolm. 

 Dr Neill, after dissecting some dozens of specimens of Cal~ 

 lionymus lyra and C. dracunculus, and finding the former 

 all milters, and the latter all spawners, came to a conclu- 

 sion thcit they were male and female of the same species. 



