th< 



GREA T BRITAIN. 105 



B. vii., D. 10/22-23, V. , A. ^ Vert. 44. 



Length of head 2| to 3 ; height of body 2j in the total 

 length. Eye. High up, I diameter in the post-orbital 

 length of the head. Mouth very protractile, its cleft oblique, 

 the maxilla being nearly perpendicular when it is closed, 

 and not reaching backwards to beneath the eye ; lower jaw 

 the longer, and terminating posteriorly in two spines. Teeth. 

 Finely cardiform, present on the jaws and vomer, but not 

 the tongue or palatine bones. Fins. First dorsal spines 



ther strong, gradually increasing in length to the fourth, 



e interspinous membrane is externally prolonged into 

 filaments of varying lengths ; while at the base of each 



ine is an outwardly projecting spinous process. A double 



ge extends from the ventral fin to the vent, armed with 

 eight lateral spines on either side. Second anal spine the 

 longest and somewhat the strongest. Scales. Not imbri- 

 cate. Air-bladder. Elongated, with the appearance of a 

 slight constriction in its posterior fourth, while a rounded 

 muscular body exists in its anterior fourth, from which 

 passes a tendon. Colours. Olive gray with a yellowish 

 tinge, and usually yellow wavy horizontal bands. In the 

 middle of either side, just posterior to the pectoral fin, a 

 circular or oval black spot surrounded by a narrow yellow 

 ring. Fins gray, in some examples the ventrals are nearly 

 black ; in others, two rather dark horizontal bands pass along 

 both the dorsal and anal fins. 



Habits. This fish is somewhat sluggish, and said to be 

 frequently carried along by currents, while in swimming it 

 is usually seen somewhat on one side, which enables it to 

 rest against a rock as well as to see both above and below 

 it. Although its movements are generally slow they become 

 accelerated when it desires food, which it pursues by a sort 

 of succession of jerks. It is a great wanderer, and in the 



