LIFE IN THE OCEAN WAVE. 32fi 



of these marine dwellers, and their natural tendency is 

 to peace and quiet. 



As to the odd fish in the aquarium, they are without 

 number and we can only mention one or two. 



The first of these is the butterfly gurnard, bo 

 called from the pectoral fins, which, when fully expan- 

 ded, look exactly like the wings of some gorgeous 

 butterfly. They are fan-shaped, and edged with the 

 most vivid light blue. The disc of the fin is soft 

 brown, powdered with light blue spots ; while nearly 

 in the centre is an oval patch of deep satiny blue, on 

 which are scattered a number of pearl-white spots. The 

 rest of the fish is plain brown, so that the contrast be- 

 tween the colour of the butterfly- like fins and the dull 

 brown of the body is absolutely startHng. 



Another odd fish is the lump-sucker, so called on 

 account of its lumpish form — which many of the spec- 

 tators refuse to acknowledge to be that of a fish — and 

 its peculiar sucking apparatus on the breast. With this 

 sucker it clings firmly to rock, glass, or any similar 

 substance, and has a quaint mode of always bending its 

 tail on one side, so as to shorten its body nearly one 

 half, and to take off the leverage which might affect 

 the holding powers of its sucker. In this attitude it 

 looks as little like a fish as may be, neither attitude, 

 form, nor colour being in the least fish-like according 

 to the ordinary ideas of fish. We must not pass over 

 the long-bodied marine sticklebacks, notable for their 

 habit of building nests under water. One of these fish. 



