VERTEBRATA 275 



" Lump - fish " (Cyclopterus lumpus). This strange fish 

 lives on our rocky shores, arid comes well inshore to spawn. 

 It arrives from deep water in the month of March, and at 

 this time may frequently be found among the low-tide 

 rocks. 



The male is about twelve inches long, by four or five in 

 breadth and depth. It has a thick leathery skin, closely 

 studded with small, round tubercles, and with several rows 

 of larger conical ones. The colour of the male during the 

 breeding season is deep crimson, except on the under side, 

 which is orange. 



The female is very much larger than the male I have 

 had one twenty-six inches in length, and which weighed 

 over fifteen pounds. The colour of the female is slate -grey. 



The eggs are deposited in large masses, firmly glued 

 together, like those of Cottus, in clefts and at the foot 

 of rocks. 



The pelvic fins in this species are joined together to form 

 a large round sucker, as in Lepadogaster, and by means 

 of this the fish attaches itself to the vertical sides of 

 rocks. I have taken it twice in the littoral, and have had 

 many specimens which were taken in the same localities 

 by fishermen. 



A male is shown in Fig. 120. 



