FISHES 



largest specimens of Gobius niger, up to 9^ 

 inches in length, were found in rock pools 

 above the reach of ordinary tides, and Mr. 

 Boulenger suggested that these large speci- 

 mens might have been really Gobius capita. 

 In August 1903 Mr. Pickard- Cambridge 

 found such large gobies in the rock-pools at 

 Portscatho east of Falmouth, and they were 

 identified by him and Mr. Boulenger as 

 Gobius capita, which was thus added to the 

 British fauna. The fish when adult is from 

 7 to 10 inches in length, much larger than 

 any other species of goby. It is thus evident 

 that Couch saw specimens of this species but 

 erroneously identified them as Gobius niger 

 (see Field, 24 Oct. 1903, where figs, are 

 given). 



42. Freckled Goby. Gobius minutus. Linn. 

 According to Holt there are two main 



races of this variable species. One is the 

 typical form, G. minutus major, which is larger 

 but more slender and reaches 3^ inches in 

 length. This is found on open coasts down 

 to about 50 fathoms. The second race is 

 estuarine and is identical with the G. parnelli 

 of Day ; it is stouter in build but smaller, 

 not exceeding 2^ inches in length. The 

 largest and most brightly coloured specimens 

 came from the clean and sandy estuaries of 

 the north of Cornwall, the smallest and most 

 dingy from the muddy and brackish estuaries 

 of the North Sea. 



43. Painted Goby. Gobius pictus, Malm. 

 Abundant on the south coast of the county. 



44. Jeffreys' Goby. Gobius jeffreym, Gtin- 



ther. 



This is a deep water species ranging from 

 19 to 1 80 fathoms. It has been found near 

 the Eddystone, and probably occurs further 

 west also. 



45. Gobius scorpioides, Collett. 



This is one of the smallest fishes known. 

 It was first described by Collett in 1874 ; 

 two specimens were obtained off the coast of 

 Norway and one in the Cattegat. The 

 longest was not quite ij inches in length. 

 In July 1897 Mr. Holt obtained a specimen 

 in Falmouth Harbour at a depth of 1 8 fathoms. 

 It was a mature female. He has since found 

 it plentiful in Ballynakill Harbour in Ireland. 



46. Transparent Goby. Aphia pellucida, 



Nardo. 



Abundant in Cawsand Bay in July, and 

 probably at other parts of the coast. Accord- 

 ing to Collett it is an annual species, reaching 

 maturity in one year and dying after breeding. 



It was also taken in April 1897 in the Lyn- 

 her river, above Waterlake to Anthony Pas- 

 sage, in company with young herrings of 

 similar size. Also in Kiln Bay, Tamar river. 



47. Crystal Goby. Crystallogobius nilssonii, 



Dub. & Kor. 



Abundant in the deeper part of Falmouth 

 Bay, forming, as probably on other offshore 

 grounds along the coast, the chief food of half- 

 grown dories and large scald-fish. 



48. John Dory. Zeus faber, Linn. 

 Common. Larger specimens are taken by 



the trawlers in deep water, small ones occur 

 in shallow water in summer. 



49. Boar-fish. Capros aper, Linn. 



In the early part of the nineteenth century 

 this fish was regarded as a rarity ; in 1842 a 

 specimen was found on the beach at Brighton 

 and sent to the Queen, when the Prince 

 Consort identified it as C. aper. In later 

 years many records were published in the 

 Zoologist. At the present time the fish is 

 abundant in summer on the trawling grounds 

 from the Start to the Lizard, and also off 

 Mount's Bay. 



50. Trumpet Fish. Centriscus scolopax, Linn. 

 A Mediterranean species of which speci- 

 mens have rarely been found on British coasts. 

 Day states that one undoubted example was 

 thrown on shore at Menabilly near Fowey in 

 1804, and recorded in the second edition of 

 Pennant's British Zoology in 1812. 



5 1 . Mackerel. Scomber scambrus, Linn. 

 The chief fishing season for mackerel off 



the coasts of Cornwall is the spring, from the 

 beginning of March to June. At this time a 

 fleet of several hundred boats, steam and sail, 

 makes its headquarters at Newlyn, while 

 others are fishing from St. Ives, Falmouth and 

 Mevagissey. The fish are found about the 

 Scilly Isles, north of St. Ives, and in the Eng- 

 lish Channel. They spawn in May and June 

 and the eggs are buoyant. In summer and 

 autumn mackerel approach the shore, and are 

 caught, though in smaller numbers, by hook 

 and line and by the seine. In winter the 

 Cornish boats fish for them off Plymouth. 



52. Spanish Mackerel. Scomber colias, Gmel. 

 A Mediterranean species of which occa- 

 sional specimens occur off Cornwall. 



53. Short-finned Tunny. Thunnus thynnus, 



Linn. 



Mr. R. Couch considered these fish to be 

 common off west Cornwall and the Scilly 



297 38 



