of flic Fishery Board for Sroi/an/l. 



497 



four stomachs, and the remains of Starfishes {Amphiura sp.) in one. 

 One or two specimens of Foraminifera were also obtained in three of 

 these stomachs. The length of the lish in this sample raned from 9 to 

 12 centimetres. 



The lengths of the twenty specimens from the Clyde ranged from 9i to 

 11| cm., and it was evident from the contents of their stomachs that 

 small MoUusca, Crustacea, and brittle Starfishes had been specially sought 

 after for food. Small MoUusca, usually more or less fragmentary, were 

 found in nineteen of these stomachs examined ; Montacufa hidentafa was 

 of frequent occurrence, and was the only MoUuscan species satisfactorily 

 identified. The rare Isopod Airfurella dUatata was obtained in one of 

 these stomachs — one specimen was fairly complete and there were frag- 

 ments of other two. Amphipoda, which were not very common, were 

 observed in five stomachs. No Copepods were observed, but Ostracoda — 

 chiefly Bijtliocyiliere fun/ida — were found in eight. Fragments of 

 Echinoderms (chiefly brittle Starfishes) were found in all the stomachs 

 except two, and the remains of Annelids in sixteen — these Annelid 

 remains were sometimes distinguishable only by the bristles which were 

 left after the soft parts had been more or less dissolved by the gastric 

 fluid. A few Foraminifera, siich as MUioUna dmimdum and Rotalia 

 beccari, were noticed in one or two of the stomachs. 



It may be remarked that most of the organisms which, judging from 

 the samples of fish examined, constitute the chief part of the food of 

 Spotted Dragonets, are such as have their habitat upon or near the bottom 

 of the water, and this would indicate that the habitat of the fish is also 

 usually near the bottom. 



In the following Table will be found a list of the organisms observed 

 in the various stomachs examined : — 



List of Species Found in the Stomachs of Spotted Dragonets. 



LuMPSUCKER. Cycloptertis lumpus, L. 



Considerably over three hundred specimens of Lumpsuckers were 

 examined during the past two years, but the stomachs of a large proper- 



