GEN. LIPARIS. 251 



weed within low-water mark. The male is said to 

 watch the ova till the exclusion of the young, when 

 the latter fix themselves, by means of their sucker, 

 to his sides and back, and he thus carries them off 

 to deeper water and more secure retreats. Dr. Par- 

 nell states that, on the west coast of Scotland, 

 sometimes as many as two dozen are taken in the 

 salmon-nets almost at every tide, principally in 

 the month of June, when they seek the -sandy 

 ground to deposit their spawn. The fishermen boil 

 them down with vegetables for their pigs, and con- 

 sider them to be fattening food. The flesh when 

 cooked is soft and very rich, and is considered by 

 some of the inhabitants of Edinburgh as a luxury ; 

 but there are few stomachs with which it agrees, in 

 consequence of its oily nature. The males are con- 

 sidered best for the table. 



The food of the Lump-fish is almost wholly small 

 fish, although Mr. Couch has occasionally found 

 onisci in its stomach. It becomes in its turn the 

 prey of seals, which devour it in large numbers. It 

 is very tenacious of life, and its power of adhesion 

 so great, that a very heavy stone or other substance 

 to which it has attached itself may be lifted with it, 

 if an attempt be made to draw it away. 



Gen. LXXXYIII. LIPARIS. This genus is 

 readily known from the other two composing the 

 British family of Cyclopteridae, by having a single 

 dorsal fin extending from the tail to before the mid- 

 die ; the anal is also lengthened. The body is with- 

 out scales and very smooth, and covered with an 

 unctuous secretion. 



