Fishes. 9133 
o’ them ’ere fish.” Why he fixed this modestly definite number I 
cannot presume to say. His promises were as pie-crusts—made to be 
broken. So at length we changed our cicerone, and presently our 
patience was rewarded, but not until very many heavings of the 
dredge had been overhauled. Only seven specimens were eventuaHy 
taken, and these were secured in the vicinity of the Ore Stone, one 
of the most celebrated dredging grounds in the district. lam 
therefore disposed to think that, in the neighbourhood of Torbay 
at least, the little sucking fish is somewhat of a rara avis. Of these, 
although the greatest attention was paid to them in the extempore 
aquarium—usually a pie dish—which oue is compelled to make shift 
with at a watering place, only five reached the Midland Metropolis, 
and these were carried the greater part of the journey in my hand ina 
gallipot, with a bit-of muslin for a cover. Occasionally fresh sea water 
was added, as the motion of the train caused waste, or as the temper- 
ature became affected by the heat of a July sun. At home I experi- 
enced further losses: two were mercilessly mauled by a voracious 
“daisy” anemone, and the third died of causes unknown,—at least, 
he post mortem Gisclosed no more satisfactory evidence than that my 
pet had expired from the effects of a surfeit. I shrewdly suspect that 
a kind though injudicious friend over fed it with bread. The remaining 
two survived partly through the winter. To these I am indebted for 
the observations recorded in this paper. One was an adult, the other 
about two-thirds grown. 
In a very few days after I brought them home they became perfectly 
domiciliated. I placed them in a large glass pan, about seven inches 
high, with a sandy bottom extending to about half the depth, in which 
were several untenanted bivalve shells—as Cardium and Pecten for 
tnstance—some placed with the concave side upwards, some vice versd, 
and some arranged at an angle on bits of stone, so as to form a sort 
-of cave. They speedily attached themselves to these by means of 
their suckers, sometimes remaining for days in one shell without leaving 
it, but they would frequently turn round in the shell, with a smooth, 
gliding motion, as the sucker passed over its surface. This was par- 
ticularly noticeable when anyone went to the aquarium in which they 
were imprisoned ; the caudal portion of the body assuming a curved 
shape, and gently undulating in the most graceful manner, the tail 
itself frequently moving, and the pectoral fins never seeming at rest. 
Mr. Gosse, with his wonderfully accurate observation, beautifully 
describes this phenomenon at page 110 of the second edition of his 
‘Aquarium.’ 
