24 TOM CULLS AT WINCHESTER. 



spine. The iris of the eye is very brilhant, reminding 

 us of a toad's eye. The bullhead may be said to be the 

 chameleon among fishes; it is very rare to meet many of 

 the same colour. The colours they assume are yellow, 

 brown, orange, emerald green, &c. Nobody knows when 

 or how they spawn. 



They are very common in the Itclien, in Hamj^shire. 

 I was educated at Winchester College, and one of the 

 great sports of myself and other boys was to " spear Tom 

 Culls." Our mode of proceeding was to fasten an ordinary 

 dinner fork on the end of a stick, and " spear the Tom 

 Culls " as they lay among the stones. This required 

 great dexterity, as the fish was very slippery, and the 

 fork, not being barbed, was a difficult instrument to 

 catch them with. Tom Culls are said to be great enemies 

 to trout eggs, a,nd they would doubtless eat the fry out 

 of the gravel if they had the chance. 



RIVER BULLHEAD. 



By the kindness of Lord Eadnor, Longford Castle, 

 Salisbury, I received in April, 1880, a grebe {Podicejm 

 minor), choked by a bullhead. The fish was fixed so 

 firmly in the bird'y mouth that I found it would go 



