SOMERSETSHIRE FAUNA. 101 
canals, and large ponds. This species has been taken in 
some parts of the kingdom more than six pounds in 
weight; in this county it seldom exceeds two pounds. 
The Basse is often taken on the Somersetshire coast. I 
have seen specimens weighing twelve pounds, brought from 
the estuary of the Parret, but the general size in the 
market is from half a pound to three pounds. It is a 
-handsome fish, but not brilliantly coloured, of a chaste 
silvery hue, becoming gradually lighter and brighter from 
the back to the belly. This is the Lupus of the Roman 
poets. 
Couc#H’s POLYPRION was imperfectly known asa British 
species when Mr. Yarrell published his “ History of British 
Fishes,” but the supplement to the work cleared up the 
obscure parts of its history. It is not uncommon on the 
Devon and Cornish coast, and it occurs on ours nearly 
three feet long. I found in the stomach of one from the 
estuary of the Parret, a perfect and good sized sepia 
officinalis. In the Mediterranean this fish is common, 
and is sometimes taken one hundred pounds in weight. 
The colour is plain and dull. 
The two species of TRACHINUS are taken on our coast, 
but are never abundant there. T. vipera is the rarer. 
STRIPED Rep MULLET is sometimes taken at the 
mouth of the Parret, but very seldom, and not large. 
Of GURNARDS, we have several species on our coast, 
but none of them in any considerable numbers. I have 
met with the Shining Gurnard in Bridgwater market, 
but am not quite certain that it was taken on our coast. 
We have four of the five British species of CoTTus. 
The Short-spined Cottus and the Armed Bull-head are 
often brought to market with shrimps, and the Long-spined 
Cottus with sprats. 
