2/6 MARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



south of the Eddystone, in 36 to 38 fathoms, so that the imma- 

 ture specimens are not confined to shallow water. 



A ripe male has been seen only 4^ inches long, the smallest 

 mature female may be a little larger. It is to be noted that the 

 males may be ripe before the elongation of the fin-rays takes 

 place, just as a man's beard does not fully develop until long 

 after puberty. 



The Top-knots (Zeugoptents punctatns, nniinacnlatns, 

 norvcgicus). 



Distinguishing Characters. All have short faces, no free root 

 to the tails, and very long dorsal and ventral fins. The hinder 

 ends of these fins are continued on to the blind side beneath the 

 root of the tail. The dorsal commences on the snout in front of 

 the eyes, and the ventral and broad pelvic occupy the whole 

 ventral margin forward to the gill opening. The vent is very 

 far forward. The mouth is large, and the gape almost at right 

 angles to the length of the body. The scales are very spiny, and 

 the spines are long and project up from the surface of the skin 

 giving a rough hairy appearance. 



The first kind, called browny or bastard brill by Devon and 

 Cornish fishermen, is the roughest of the three, and its ventral 

 fin is united with its two pelvic, the vent opening between the 

 latter. The lower side is rather smooth. Fin-rays, dorsal 87 to 

 101, ventral 69 to 80. 



The second kind has the first dorsal-ray elongated, the 

 ventral is not united to the pelvic ; there is a single dark spot 

 in the centre of the hinder part of the upper side ; the lower side 

 is rough. 



The third kind is less shortened and less rough, the scales 

 being less spiny and not projecting so much. There is no 

 elongation of the first fin-ray of the dorsal, no fusion of the 

 ventral and pelvic fins, little roughness on the lower side. 



Names. The three kinds may be called respectively the 

 common top-knot, the one-spotted top-knot, and the Norwegian 

 top-knot. 



Habitat. The first and largest form extends from the Hay of 

 Biscay to the north coast of Europe, the second from the Mcditcr- 



