144 Proceedings of the Boyal Plujsical Society. 



Dr Day, whose important and valuable work on British 

 Fishes will probably remain our best authority for some time 

 to come, despite the inadequate character of some of the 

 illustrations. 



Zijjaris vulgaris, the commonest species of Liparis, seems 

 to be extremely rare in our district, where it appears to be 

 superseded by its congener, Ziparis Montagui, These latter 

 I have taken mainly in Loch Linnhe. The species of 

 Zepadogaster appear to monopolise the inner lochs, such as 

 Loch Creran, where I have never taken a single specimen of 

 Ziparis. 



On the other hand, the larger species of Zepadogaster is 

 common in the same haunts as those frequented by Ziparis 

 Montagui, and the commoner of the two even there. 



It is extremely difficult to account for the movements of 

 these fishes. At one time they will be comparatively 

 common under stones on a certain piece of foreshore at low 

 spring tide; and again they may be searched for in vain 

 even in the same season of the year. I have taken Z. 

 Montagui freely in March, full of roe quite ripe ; and again, 

 not a single one was obtainable in the best days of the best 

 tides during the same month in other years. Nor could I 

 account for their movements except on the ground of there 

 being rough water outside or rough water inside ; for although 

 these fishes are much stronger and more active than Zepa- 

 dogaster as a rule, and better able to risk themselves in 

 turbulent waters, yet they are still weak fish. This is no 

 doubt the primary cause of the development of their means 

 of anchoring themselves, to prevent their being carried away 

 by the currents, or tossed ashore by the waves, both so 

 prevalent at all seasons on our shores. 



When hatched, and for some time thereafter, the young of 

 even the most sluggish of these fish — Zepadogaster Decandolii 

 — are extremely active, with no trace of the sucker disc. 

 Figs. 6 and 7 give the comparative appearances of the 

 pectoral region at forty-six days after deposit of ova, and at 

 maturity. The development of the muscles that act upon 

 the pectoral region are merely embryonic at forty-six days 

 old. The upper jaw, which in the adult is most prominent, 



