THE MILLER'S THUMB. 35 



Coitus Gobio, Linn.), was very common with us as well 

 in the Gotha as the Wenern, and indeed in nearly all the 

 rivers and lakes throughout Scandinavia. It is also found 

 in the eastern Skargard, but not to my knowledge in the 

 western. 



This fish does not go in shoals, but alone. Its .chief 

 resorts are under stones (hence its Swedish designations 

 " sten-simpa," stone-bullhead ; " sten-sugare," stone-sucker, 

 &c.), where it lies in ambush for its prey, consisting of 

 worms, larvae of insects, Crustacea and small fry. Its flesh 

 is white and well-flavoured, but from its small size, it is not 

 much sought after. 



With us, the miller's thumb was said to spawn in 

 April and May ; Ekstrom, however, imagines not until 

 June. But of its proceedings at the lek, little seems 

 to be known. Formerly it was believed that this fish 

 lived in monogamy, that the female deposited her roe in 

 holes formed by herself, and that afterwards, in the manner 

 of birds, she sat upon them until they were hatched. It was 

 even asserted that the female would furiously attack anything 

 that attempted to disturb her nest; as also that the male 

 often acted the maternal part; but this fable is now pretty 

 well exploded. 



The miller's thumb is the smallest of the Scandinavian 

 Cotti ; and though it occasionally attains to five or six inches, 

 its more usual length is from three to four. In appearance 

 the sexes differ but little. 



According to Swedish naturalists, the Coitus poecilopus, 

 Heck, is also an inhabitant of the eastern Skargard, but as 

 far as my knowledge extends, is neither found on the western 

 coast, nor in the waters of the interior. 



D 2 



