HABITS OF THE SUCKER. 95 



soft leathery margin is ax")pliecl to a flat surface, and the 

 central pad drawn inward, a vacuum is produced, and 

 by the * sucker ' the fish adheres to rocks and stones, 

 (generally near to low water mark, amidst the dash 

 and foam of the breakers) and there holds on so firmly 

 that it is not easily dislodged, even by the roughest 

 waves." 



Gouan named this species " Le Barbier " and " Le 

 porte Ecuelle." 



His simile refers to the resemblance between the 

 sucker and a barber's brass or copper shaving basin. 



The Cornish sucker attains to a length of between 

 three and four inches. It is without scales and has a 

 soft though tough skin. The posterior portion of the 

 head is very broad, but it suddenly becomes narrower 

 before the eyes, and is produced into a long-depressed 

 snout, something like a duck's bill. In fi-ont of the inner 

 corner of each eye are two flattened cirrhi or filaments, 

 the longest about one-tenth of an inch in length, and 

 both of a bright crimson colour, looking very much 

 like the first growth of a young red sea-weed. The 

 sucker differs much in structure from that of the Lump- 

 fish {Cijclopteriis lumpus). It consists not of a complete 

 single disc, but of two parts separated from each other, 

 the one being in connection with the ventral, and the 

 other with the pectoral fins. 



The specimens which I have received varied very 

 much in colouration. 



But in all, on the back of the head or nape of the neck, 

 are two conspicuous marks, like a pair of ejes. Each 

 of these consists of a large, rather oval spot of deep 

 purple, enclosed within a x)ale brown ring, and having 

 in the centre a dot or purple of most intense blue, more 

 brilliant than the turquoise. 



