170 



SPECKLED GOBY. 



Gobius rliodopterus, Guxthek; Cat. Br. Museum, vol. iii, 



p. 16, quoting Mc Coy, in Annals 

 and Magazine of IN^atural History, 

 vol. vi, p. 403. 

 " reticulatus, Cuviek. 



The species named as above is known in the Mediterranean, 

 and was discovered by Professor McCoy, in Dublin Bay; but 

 I am only able to express the supposition that it is the same 

 with a fish supplied to me from the north coast of Somersetshire 

 by E. T. Higgins, Esq., where, with others we have occasion 

 to mention, it was taken in a net for shrimps. 



This example was a little beyond two inches in length; the 

 head short before the eyes, which are high on the head, but 

 not close together; lower jaw a little the longest. Body wide 

 behind the head, compressed posteriorly. The first dorsal fin 

 begins over the first third of the pectoral, and Dr. Gunther 

 says of this species the second ray is the longest: to me it 

 appeared that the first four of the six were nearly of equal 

 length, but their bent position gave the appearance as if the 

 outline formed a circle; not so high as the second dorsal, 

 which begins near the first and ends at a good distance from 

 the tail. Anal fin shorter than the second dorsal, but they 

 end opposite each other. Pectorals of moderate size; ventrals 

 close under the throat. The general colour grey, with bars on 

 the dorsal fins and tail; the last-named fin round. 



