GEN. GOBIUS. THE SPECKLED GOBY. 273 



usually catalogued. Like the preceding, this species 

 frequents rocky situations where fuci abound. It 

 keeps, remarks Dr. Parnell, but a short distance 

 under the surface of the water, apparently in a mo- 

 tionless position, assuming in this respect, much the 

 habits of the Stickleback ; when approached, it 

 gradually sinks in the deep, and soon disappears, 

 by making short though rapid darts, among the 

 weeds it delights to frequent. 



(Sp. 74.) G. minutus. The Speckled or Spotted 

 Goby has the dorsal fins remote ; the anterior rays 

 of the second dorsal are longer than the succeeding 

 ones, and the caudal fin is rounded. It rarely exceeds 

 two inches and a half in length. The colour of the 

 upper parts is reddish brown, freckled and streaked 

 with dark brown, the throat and belly white ; the 

 dorsal and caudal fins are mottled with brown. 

 This species is an inhabitant, not of rocky coasts, 

 but of sandy bays, and is common throughout the 

 British shores, having been observed on the south- 

 ern and eastern coasts, and in Wales ; in the Forth, 

 and west of Scotland. Mr. Yarrell states that it is 

 constantly to be obtained of the shrimpers, in whose 

 nets it is taken : that it is plentiful in the Thames, 

 where it is known by the name of Poleicir/, or 

 Polly-bait. When young, they delight to bask in 

 the rays of the sun, in small shallow pools, where 

 they fall a prey to aquatic birds ; although, in con- 

 sequence of their backs being of precisely the same 

 colour with the sand on which they repose, they 

 will, when stationary, evade the eye of the most 



