GEN. COTTUS. SHORT-SPINED COTTUS. 153 



ness, and are solitary in their habits. They leave 

 the depths of the ocean in spring, and take up their 

 abode in the hollows of the rocks, where, sheltered 

 by the sea- weed, they enjoy, at each tide, the return 

 of the water, which supplies them with fresh food. 

 About the autumnal equinox they return to the 

 ocean, and there remain during the winter. They 

 are not much used as articles of food, because their 

 flesh is neither much relished, nor considerable in 

 quantity. They are, however, sometimes eaten by 

 the poor in high latitudes, and they yield, like most 

 other fishes, a valuable oil. The spines with which 

 they are armed supply them with a perfidious 

 weapon, and inflict wounds which are sometimes 

 regarded as poisonous. This, however, seems to be a 

 mistake ; and the depth of the puncture alone, pro- 

 bably, constitutes its importance. Fishermen esteem 

 the application of the liver, or oil, of the fish, as the 

 most useful dressing they can apply. Their size is 

 not great, one a foot long being above the average. 

 They live a long time out of the water, and from 

 their uttering sounds, belong to the Crooners, Sea- 

 cocks, &c. We proceed to the species 



(Sp. 21.) C.scorpius. The short-spined Cottus or 

 Sea-scorpion. This fish has often been confounded 

 with the succeeding species, and also been regarded 

 as its female; but they never associate, and are quite 

 distinct. In this species there are three spines on 

 the gill-cover, none of which extend beyond its 

 posterior limits ; the lateral line is smooth, and the 

 colour on the upper parts of the body is reddish 



