1879.] OF WESTON-SUPER-MARE. 751 



Couch gives a Transparent Goby and a Slender Goby, which may- 

 be examples of Latrunculus albus, a fish he considered " as the young 

 of some better known species." 



Callionymus lyra, Linn. C. dracunculus, Linn, (female). 

 The Dragonet, Gemmous and Sordid Dragonets. 



This fish is taken off Weston, but only the male exists in the 

 Museum. Mr. Sandford, to whom I am indebted for assistance in 

 my investigations at the excellent Taunton Museum, informs me 

 that the Skulpin is very good eating. 



Cyclopterus lumpus, Linn. Lump-sucker. 



This fish is said to arrive in the cold months, and commits con- 

 siderable havoc among the sprats. 



"Watching a Lump-sucker firmly attached to the glass of the 

 tank, the idea occurred to me that the sucker may have been 

 developed by natural selection, as a useful adjunct to the breathing 

 movements of the fish. When fixed, the fish appears to be per- 

 fectly at ease, and to breathe more fully and strongly than when 

 swimming. The movements of the opercles or gill-covers, when 

 the fish was attached, were specially strong, as compared with their 

 motion in the act of swimming. In a large-headed and heavy-bodied 

 fish, like Cyclopterus, any aid given to the respiratory movements 

 would be a clear gain to the animal ; and from a habit of simply- 

 resting on a object, so as to afford leverage and play to the gills, 

 the comparatively useless ventral fins may have become specially 

 modified as a disk of attachment ; the development of the sucking- 

 disk, and enlargement of the branchial cavity, would thus proceed 

 pari passu, and by natural selection the present exaggerated features 

 of both organs would be attained." (A. Wilson, ' Nature,' June 26, 

 1879, p. 197.) I would suggest that this modification of the 

 ventral fins into a sucker (as we observe the first dorsal similarly 

 modified in Echeneis) is principally for adhesion, either to prevent 

 their being carried away by the tide, or to attacli themselves to 

 their prey. A heavy body, as a Lump-sucker, violently rolled over 

 by a strong wave, would be liable to suffer considerable injury. As 

 a proof of this I would refer to Dr. Mcintosh, who observes that after 

 storms these fishes are found on the west sands of St. Andrews. 



Liparis vulgaris, Flem. Sea-Snail. 



Small examples I found exceedingly common at Weston, several 

 being almost invariably present in every shrimp-net, while the crabs 

 appeared to be uncommonly fond of them, few being uninjured. In 

 none could I see any blue lines. Large examples are said to be 

 common in the winter. 



Liparis montagui, Donovan. 



Has been recorded from Somersetshire. 



Lophius piscatorius, Linn. Angler ; Fishing-Frog. 



Every two or three years a large one is taken at Weston. The 



