206 NATURAL HISTORY [Fishes. 



inclining in some to brown. It is little regarded here ; its bulk 

 renders it no object for eating, or any thing else*. 



GENUS XV. THE BULL-HEAD KIND. 



Gen. Char. Large flat head, armed with sharp spines ; six branchiostegous 



rays. 



Species 1. The Father-Lasher. 



Scorpaenze Bellonii sirnilis Cornub. Father- Lasher, Wil. Jcth. 138. Rail Syn. 

 Pise. 145. Cottus Scorpius, Lin. Sys, 453. Sib. Scot. 24, tab. IT, fig. 1, 2. 

 Ore. Comper. 



THIS fish is found in every pool into which the sea regu- 

 larly flows, lurking under stones, and under the points of the 

 rocks, watching for any small fish to make its prey of it. The 

 most formidably furnished with armour of defence of any our 

 fishes. 



The head and moulh are very large, armed with sharp 

 spines, as are the covers of the gills. These it has a power of 

 erecting, by blowing out its cheeks, and this it does immedi- 

 ately upon its being caught. I once saw a trial of skill be- 

 tween a large one of this kind, and a cormorant. The latter 



* The Spotted Goby occurs in the same places with the other. Note in a dif- 

 ferent hand-writing. 



