LOCH CRERAN. 



by Couch, and is considered a variety, owing its colour 

 to the difference of ground ; but here we have both 

 caught within a few yards, a fact which distinctly militates 

 against the ground theory in this case. There seems as 

 good reason to make it a species, notwithstanding 

 structural similarity, as there is for many others which 

 have been separated out. Several specimens of the little 

 Corkwing ( Crenilabrus cornubicus), one of the commonest 

 of the family on our coast, were captured along with the 

 above, so that we do not seem to be deficient in species, 

 if we only devoted a little attention to their elucidation 

 and capture. In fact, the abundance of seaware on our 

 coast ought to be a surety that these rock and luxuriant 

 algse haunters are not uncommon. 



We have several times amused ourselves by endeavour- 

 ing to secure various wrasses and sea perch that frequent 

 a rocky islet out off the shore, employing a hand-net with 

 a long handle, but they are much too knowing to be 

 enticed therein, and, when disturbed from among the 

 seaweed fronds, they at once bolt seawards. The fifteen- 

 spined stickleback and various gobies, may, with patience, 

 be thus taken, but a crick in the neck and benumbed 

 hands are our usual reward whenever we seek thus to 

 add to our knowledge of the wrasses. That the green 

 wrass may well be a modified ballan wrass we must not, 

 however, deny, as we have always held that colour is 

 greatly influenced by the ground, and although captured 

 close together it is quite possible they may have grown 

 up in conterminous haunts of sufficiently distinct character. 



Scrambling up the front of our dwelling, and twining 

 across the top of the door, a vigorous Troptxolum has 

 established itself by the help of a stout cord. Although 

 starting annually from the ground, it has already traversed 



