306 LIFE BY THE SEASHORE. 



If the adults can hardly be described as graceful, the 

 young, on the other hand, are charming little creatures, 

 which are readily captured, live well in captivity, and make 

 delightful pets. They differ markedly from the adults in 

 appearance, being without tubercles, and exhibiting a singu- 

 larly close resemblance to tadpoles. This is especially the 

 case with specimens taken from dark-coloured pools, for 

 these have the dark tint of frog tadpoles. Specimens taken 

 from pools containing much bright weed, on the other hand, 

 are often a fine green or olive-green tint, with conspicuous 

 light streaks behind the eyes. They are active little crea- 

 tures, darting about the water much more rapidly than the 

 adults, but nevertheless they frequently attach themselves 

 by the sucker, and then have a curious habit of tucking the 

 tail round the large head. The result, when combined with 



FIG. 87. Common shanny (Blennius pholis). After Day. 



the colour resemblance to the surroundings, is to render 

 them very inconspicuous, and it is interesting to watch a 

 pool with several of the little creatures darting about, and 

 notice how they disappear suddenly from view, to be found 

 again after careful search as apparently shapeless masses on 

 the weed. Another interesting peculiarity is the fact that 

 the tail fin is quite colourless, and therefore practically 

 invisible. In consequence the dark - coloured specimens 

 particularly seem to be sharply truncated in the posterior 

 region, which enhances the peculiarity of the appearance. 



The next fish we shall consider is the shanny (Blennius 

 pholis, see Fig. 87), which may be described as a typical shore 

 fish, for it lives in shallow pools, lurking under stones and 

 weed, and is quite able to withstand the temporary disappear- 

 ance of the water. Indeed, in confinement it seems to greatly 

 prefer a situation where it can periodically leave the water 

 for a time. The colours are not very definite, the body 



