3496 The Zoologist — April, 1873. 



that of every other object with which I can compare them. The dehcate 

 but brilliant colouring of the male dragonet has obtained for it the name 

 of " gemmeous," while the female is called the " sordid" dragonet, the term 

 " dragonet "equally applying to both. It is rather singular that Lacepede, 

 Yarrell, Couch, and other ichthyologists, should have thought proper in 

 this and so many other instances to divorce man and wife, and to elevate the 

 sexes to the rank of species. These fishes, possessing no swim-bladder, are 

 not swimmers ; they reside constantly at the bottom of the seas, either 

 lying motionless on the mud or buried in the sand, all except the eyes; and 

 when they move it, seems only by compulsion, or under the impulse of a 

 sudden freak, and in a few seconds they settle down as they were before, 

 often returning, after these little excursions, to the very spot fi'om whence 

 they started. In the intervals between these journeys the fish will 

 suddenly raise its first dorsal fin, hold it straight upright for a second only, 

 and then as suddenly depress it and render it invisible. This first dorsal is 

 a strange organ almost as wonderful as the eyes ; it is very narrow, and has 

 but five rays, the first of which reaches to the tail, the second is scarcely 

 more than half as long, and theothei's regularly decrease in length until the 

 fifth, which is hardly a fifth of the length of the first. Another fact, and 

 to myself a most interesting fact, with regard to these dragonets or skulpins, 

 is that they appear entirely destitute of a gill-opening ; or, more precisely 

 speaking, of a gill-opening in the usual situation. The gill-cover seems 

 to occupy its usual place, but its margin appears soldered all round, without 

 leaving the smallest aperture for the passage of water for respiratory 

 purposes : this, the usual function of the gill-opening, is delegated, at least 

 so far as I understand the mechanism, to two nearly circular holes, some- 

 what resembling the blow-holes of Cetacea, and situated behind the head, 

 on the doi-sal surface of the neck, and near the margin of the gill-cover ; 

 they are closed by a sort of valvular process of the skin, and the respira- 

 tion, which is evidently rhythmical, appears in some measure dependent on 

 the will of the fish. "When partially buried in the sand, these " blow- 

 holes," as well as the eyes, remain exposed, and, thanks to the utter quies- 

 cence of the owner, may be examined at leisure. I should also observe that, 

 although I have carefully examined the living fish under a lens of consider- 

 able power, I have as yet been unable to detect any trace of scales. This 

 fish rejoices in a variety of names ; on the coast of France it is " lavan- 

 diere"and "doucet;" in Scotlaud, " gowdie ; " in Cornwall, " sculpin." 

 Tyson, who first described it as British, called it the " yellow gurnard ; " 

 Pennant, the " gemmeous dragonet," a name now generally adopted in this 

 country. Its peculiarities are so striking that every naturahst has des- 

 cribed it ; but now, for the first time, we have the opportunity of seeing it 

 alive. — Edward Xeuinan. 



