350 



MARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



Cape Hatteras. It is much more common on the coasts of 

 Scotland than on those of England or Ireland. 



Breeding. — The two sexes differ in size and colour, the 

 female being large and dull coloured, generall}' of a uniform 

 blue, yellowish-white beneath. The male is smaller and, with 

 some blue on the back, has its sides and belly of a brilliant red 

 and }'ellow. In Scotland the male is called the " cock-paidle," 

 the female the " hen-paidle." The exact reason why the fish is 

 called a paddle I do not know. 



Dr. Fulton found that in fish 1 7 J to 1 8| inches long the number 

 of ova was from 79.000 to 136,000. Spawning takes place in 

 March, April, and May, and the whole of the eggs seem to be 

 shed at one time in one mass. There are, however, holes in the 

 mass to allow the water access to the interior. The spawn is 



Fig. 155. — Young Lump-sucker | inch long ; after Agassiz. 



attached to rocks or piles, and is as often as not more or less 

 exposed at low water in spring tides. The male always remains 

 guarding the eggs and keeping the water moving over them by 

 the action of his breast fins. The colour of the eggs varies from 

 red to pale-yellow or nearly white. Individually the eggs are 

 large, measuring 2'6 mm. in breadth or over y^ inch. The 

 yolk is but slightly transparent, and contains numerous oil 

 globules of various sizes. The egg membrane is thick and firm, 

 and neighbouring eggs only stick together over small areas of 

 the surface. 



The little fish when first hatched is not quite \ inch long. 

 The development is far advanced, the body coloured green and 

 opaque, the mouth and jaws well developed, the sucker already 

 formed, and the breast-fins have fin-ra\-s. The central fin- 



