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ASSOCIATION OF ORGANISMS THE WEB OF LIFE 



may assume courtship colours of brilliant kind, but in some 

 species the attractions are of a more elaborate nature. A good 

 instance among British marine fishes is afforded by the Gemmeous 

 Dragonet or Golden Skulpin (Callionymus lyra, fig. 1115), where 

 the female is of a dull brown, and was formerly, under the 

 name of the Sordid Dragonet, considered to be a distinct 

 species. The male, however, is yellow, with spots and stripes 

 of blue, besides which his first dorsal fin is relatively large, and 



Fig. 1115. Gemmeous Dragonet (Callionymus lyra). Male above; female below 



its first ray is drawn out into a long slender filament, which 

 appears to be of the nature of an ornament. Holt has described 

 the courtship of an allied species, the Spangled Dragonet (C. 

 lineatus], and says regarding the male that "its head and body 

 are indescribable mingled harmony of many shades of brown 

 and blue and green, set off with light-blue spots and pearl- 

 coloured stripes; the anterior dorsal fin, which can be erected 

 like a high sail, is golden yellow, studded with many white-edged 

 blue ocelli; the tail fin is a blend of brown and yellow, set with 

 turquoise spots; the belly fin is like dark-blue velvet sown with 

 rows of turquoise; the pelvic fins are like golden-green satin, 



