OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 131 



fish, young and old, feed voraciously on live shrimps, the 

 " chickens " exhibiting extraordinary precocity in the chase 

 and capture of these Crustacea. Any one of them will 

 rush after and attack a Shrimp as Jong or longer than 

 himself ; generally, too, he contrives to master it, and with 

 much puffing and panting, and many a struggle to swallow 

 it whole, with the exception perhaps of the long horns or 

 antennae, which will not go down, but are left ludicrously 

 projecting from the little glutton's mouth. Such indeed is 

 the greediness of these youthful Lump-fish, that if allowed 

 this crustaceous diet without discretion they literally gorge 

 themselves to death. The Lump-fish is not only the 

 largest representative of its tribe, but, as compared with 

 other forms, attains to a considerable size. Examples mea- 

 suring in length from twenty inches to two feet, and with a 

 weight of from twelve to fifteen pounds, are not infrequent. 

 Several admirable casts of such fine adult specimens will 

 be found in the Buckland Museum, the most interesting 

 illustration being, however, included in the Day Collection, 

 where in the jar No. 68 a-e is exhibited a series ranging from 

 a length of half an inch only to six inches, or about one 

 third the size of the adult fish. It is interesting to observe 

 that in the younger stages a membraneous first dorsal fin is 

 distinctly developed ; but, as growth progresses, this becomes 

 gradually imbedded within, and finally entirely obliterated 

 by an outgrowth of the rough skin of the dorsal surface. 

 The periodical arrival of the Lump-fishes upon our coasts 

 during the earlier spring months is for the purpose of 

 spawning. The eggs, deposited in a large mass among 

 fissures of the rocks, are bright salmon-colour, and other- 

 wise much resemble in size and aspect masses of dryly- 

 boiled sago. Mr. Frank Buckland ascertained that the roe 

 of a female fish weighing eleven pounds contained no less 



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