252 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



This also is the opinion of M. Valenciennes. Dr George 

 Johnson of Berwick, has, on the other hand, recorded in the 

 third volume of the Zoological Journal, page 336, that he 

 had found a Sordid Dragonet with a milt. Mr Varrell 

 also considers them as distinct. Mr Couch has observed a 

 certain difference in their habits. *' The Yellow Skulpin," 

 says Mr Couch, " prefers deeper water ; whereas the other 

 will often approach the margin of the tide, where I have 

 watched its actions with great interest. They keep at the 

 bottom, among sand or stones, and never rise but to pass 

 from one situation to another, which is done with great sud- 

 denness and rapidity. They possess great quickness of sight, 

 and dart with swiftness when alarmed, though not to a great 

 distance : and I have seen the Sordid Skulpin repeatedly 

 mount after prey, and invariably return to the same spot 

 again. This motion is chiefly performed by the ventral 

 fins ; and the eye is well adapted to the habit, the muscles 

 of that organ being fitted to direct the sight upward but 

 not downwards. They sometimes take the hook, though 

 rarely ; and are much devoured by the larger fish, in the 

 stomachs of which they are often found. They feed on 

 shell-fish, worms, and molluscous animals."" 



Mr Yarrell says that, " in proof of the distinction of the 

 species, it may be stated that tlie colours of the body and 

 fins are decidedly different ; that in C\ Ijjra the head is to 

 the whole length as one to four ; the eyes removed two dia- 

 meters from the end of the nose ; the head elongated and 

 elevated ; the distance from the point of the nose to the pos- 

 terior edge of the orbit, and thence to the origin of the first 

 dorsal fin ray, equal ; the mouth large ; the lateral line pro- 

 minent. In C draciinculus, the head is to the whole fish 

 as one to five ; the eyes but one diameter above the snout ; 

 the head depressed, strictly triangular ; the distance from 



