160 BRITISH FISU AND FISHERIES. 



fins, which are united together under the throat, 

 and form a powerful sucker. The lump-sucker 

 is very widely spread in the northern seas. In 

 Greenland it is eaten, and may be seen, accord- 

 ing to Crantz, near the shore in April and 

 May, but at other times is not to be found, as 

 it a browses on the sea-grass in the deep." 



On many parts of the coasts of England, 

 Ireland, and Scotland, this fish is common, and 

 especially in the Orkneys ; its flesh, and parti- 

 cularly that of the male, is regarded as excel- 

 lent. It is chiefly in April and May that the 

 lump-sucker is taken, as it then approaches 

 the shore for the purpose of breeding. What 

 Crantz says about its browsing on sea-grass is 

 not quite correct ; it is a voracious fish, and 

 preys upon smaller species and various marine 

 insects. The lump-sucker is usually from 

 twelve to eighteen inches long, and from six 

 to eight deep ; the lips are thick and fleshy, 

 and the mouth wide ; the whole surface of tho 

 head and body is covered with small bony 

 tubercles, among which are some rows of a 

 large size and more prominent than the others. 

 The eyes are large, and "make it look like a cat 

 or an owl," whence one of its common appel- 

 lations sea-owl. * 



