26 NATURAL HISTORY. 



or galleries communicate. The male guards the entrance ; 

 burying his slimy body in the cavity, he keeps his bearded 

 mouth exposed, and the spawn being deposited, he keeps 

 faithful watch over it for two months. Owing to this 

 custom of providing a home for the young, this fish is 

 also called the Architect, and is valued on account of its 

 good flesh. The liver is considered a dainty. .There are 

 several smaller species. 



Periophthalmus (periophthalmus schlosseri) resembles 

 the foregoing in conformation, has large teeth, a fleshy 

 tongue, an obtuse head, soft scales, and eyes very close 

 together. The pectoral fins form a kind of arms, the 

 fins being on the end. Its home is the Indies, and it is 

 found in great numbers in Amboyna. A very remark- 

 able property of this fish is that it can live on land as 

 well as water ; mostly lying in the mud, it protrudes its 

 arm-like fins, and these becoming dry, it can run like a 

 lizard. It feeds on insects and young crabs. 



The Frog Fish or Sea Devil (lophius piscatorius). 

 This fish is extremely misshaped ; its large head is scarce- 

 ly distinguishable from the body ; the tail small and 

 thin. The sea devils are without scales ; their broad, 

 transversely-cleft mouths are furnished with strong and 

 pointed teeth, and armed with long cirri, or beards, and 

 on the shoulders are movable prickles ; the gill-coverings 

 are sack-like, so that they can be used as cheek pouches. 

 They measure four feet in length, and are found all over 

 Europe. The fishermen kill and throw them away, be- 

 cause they are rapacious and their flesh not eatable. 

 They swim badly on account of having no air-bladder ; 

 and being very voracious, hide themselves behind water- 

 plants, lying in wait for small fish, which they take by 

 letting their long beards play about in the water ; these 



