GREA T BRIT A IN. 8 1 



lower jaw somewhat the longer. Two small spines at the 

 anterior-superior angle of the orbit; four flat and badly 

 marked ones on the preopercle (sometimes absent), two 

 being on its lower limb, and the anterior of which points 

 forwards. Opercular spine long and strong, enveloped in a 

 loose skin nearly to its termination. Teeth. Villiform in the 

 jaws, vomer, palatine, and pterygoid bones ; none on the 

 tongue. Fins. Second and third dorsal spines the longest, 

 six lower pectoral rays unbranched or with the divisions 

 very indistinct. Scales. Cycloid, and passing in oblique 

 rows down the sides of the body. Vent beneath the last 

 dorsal spine. Colours. Grey or yellow, being darkest along 

 the back ; brown or bright yellow lines pass down the body 

 in the direction of the rows of scales, decreasing in vividness 

 as they descend ; upper surface and sides of the head spotted 

 and reticulated with brown and grey, while blue lines are 

 occasionally intermixed ; some yellow stripes along the gill- 

 covers. First dorsal fin black in its upper three-fourths ; 

 other fins yellowish, with dark outer edges ; posterior margin 

 of the caudal nearly black. 



Habits. Swims near the ground, and sometimes, not 

 invariably, burrows in the sand, leaving only its head un- 

 covered ; occasionally it is left in this position by an ebb- 

 ing tide. It lives upon the fry of fish and small marine 

 animals. 



Means of capture. Beam-trawl, seine-nets, sprat and 

 shrimp nets, or by a baited hook on a deep-sea line. They 

 have been taken in a net floating over thirty -five fathoms of 

 water, but always of a morning, as if they only came near 

 the surface during the darkness of the night. 

 Breeding. About June. 



As food. Sold in Whitechapel as food, and known as 

 Spitalfield weavers. 



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