412 Dr. W. C. M'Intosh on the 



LIII. — On the Invertebrate Marine Fauna and Fishes of 

 St. Andreics. By W. C. M'Intosh. 



[Concluded from p. 349.] 



Subkingdom VERTEBRATA. 

 Class PISCES. 



Contrasted with the extreme shores of Britain the fish-fauna 

 of St.-Andrews bay exhibits certain interesting differences, 

 though of course its features are common to many other parts 

 of the north-east coast. There are, for instance, no shoaJs of 

 young wrasses (chiefly Jago's goldsinny) gliding amongst 

 the seaweeds, or swarms of grey mullets, as in the tide-runs of 

 the sandy flats and inland seas of the western shores ; no large 

 rock-fish (Ballan wrasse) hiding like dark shadows under the 

 tangles, groups of black gobies between tide-marks, or of 

 young congers breaking the border of the flowing tide into 

 a seething expanse, as in the quiet bays of the southern 

 parts — just as the " schulls " of glittering pilchards do on the 

 surface of the open water. The curious Hippocamjyi^ exquisite 

 red mullets, and the splendid conger-fishing also belong to 

 the latter region, together with the abundance of the smaller 

 sharks in-shore. The sandy western shores of England are 

 also distinguished by the greater variety of large Pleuro- 

 nectidas, and the frequent occurrence of red gurnards, angel- 

 fishes, and spotted rays. The adjoining bay, moreover, does 

 not present that richness of finny life — from the little bimacu- 

 lated sucker nestling beside its ova in the hollows of the 

 gigantic tangles to the fine cod and coal-fish of the Zetlandic 

 seas, which also possess the rarer Chimcera. While it is thus 

 vain to look for the vast variety or the gorgeous colours of the 

 species which a few hours' fishing off the shores of Guernsey 

 brings before the investigator, or for the plenitude of large 

 forms which in the north soon fill the boat to overflowing, yet 

 there is sufficient success to reward exertion, either in deep 

 water or off the sea-margin. Good white and flat fish occur 

 in the bay, the latter especially abounding on the sandy flats 

 off the West Sands, which thus form a rich ground for the 

 trawlers, who are for the most part strangers. The trawl in 



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common UbC (^^ee a^ i ^ i_ ,i^ ^'g'l"-; consists of a beam of 



