346 FIVE-BEARDED ROCKLING. 



In its young state I have had this fish live in my 

 aquarium for several months, but it never seemed to 

 be happy or contented. 



The Five Bearded Rockling is almost as great a 

 favourite with the writer as the Smooth Blenny. It 

 is a very pretty fish, and may be easily tamed. In 

 the course of a week I trained one to feed out of 

 my hand, and when I put my finger in the water the 

 fish would rub against it with its head, just as a 

 favourite cat frequently does against the leg of a 

 person with whom it is very familiar ; moreover, if I 

 moved the intruding digit with a circular motion 

 through the water, the Eockling would waltz round 

 the tip with evident signs of pleasure. 



This fish is often found in tide-pools, and may 

 readily be identified by the prominent appendages 

 attached to its head, to the presence of which the 

 Rockling owes its familiar appellation. 



The Goby (Oobius unipunctatus), or, as it is more 

 popularly termed, One-Spotted Goby, is frequently 

 found inhabiting the same pool as the Blenny or the 

 Rockling. The distinguishing character of this 

 pretty creature is the black spot which is situated 

 between the fifth and sixth ray of the first dorsal fin. 

 Its length is usually about one, or one and a half 

 inches ; specimens have, however, sometimes been 

 found on the shores of the Frith of Forth, that mea- 

 sured nearly three inches. 



The colour of the Goby is very changeable. If the 



