Occurrence of Gobius capito in Cornwall. 587 
Bee Gale capito, Boulenger, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 7, iv. 
. 229. 
1809, Gobius capito, Holt, Ann. Mus. Marseille, v. p. 43. 
1903. Gobius capito, Holt & Byrne, Rep. Sea and Inland Fisheries of 
Treland for 1901, pt. ii. p. 46. 
Of this grand species Cuvier and Valenciennes say :— 
“La membrane antérieure de sa ventrale, qui est fort épaisse, 
a de chaque cété un lobe arrondi, ce qui la rend comme 
trilobée.” And this, indeed, is the character which infallibly 
distinguishes it from either G. niger or G@. paganellus in 
examples of the same size, though when adult G. capztto is 
twice as large as either of these species. In immature 
examples, however, the lobe is not rounded, but sharp. 
Description. 
Dimensions.—The adult male reaches the length of from 
9 to 10 inches. ‘I'wenty examples from the same pool varied 
from 7 to 24 inches. The head very broad, with cheeks 
dilate, is rather less than one fourth the total length, is 
slightly longer than broad, and is slightly broader than deep. 
The dorsal fin at its base is exactly one half the length of 
body exclusive of the caudal fin. The pectoral fin is as long 
as the head is broad; the ventral fin is as long as the first 
dorsal is at its base and exactly the length of the anal fin. 
The interorbital space in adult examples is rather less than 
the diameter of the eye, but is much narrower in proportion 
as the examples diminish in size. The caudal pedunele is in 
width about one tenth the total length. 
Scales.—The total number in longitudinal series from the 
base of the pectoral fin to the caudal fin along the median 
lateral line is from 65-68, always more than 60; in trans- 
verse series from the base of the posterior ray of the second 
dorsal fin to the posterior ray of the anal from 15-16 scales. 
The squamulation of the head ceases at a line drawn tangential 
to the posterior margins of the eyes, and the upper part of the 
operculum is slightly squamose. ‘The first dorsal fin has 6 
rays, the medians not noticeably longer than the rest; the 
second dorsal has 15 rays; the caudal is rounded, nearly 
circular when fully spread. ‘he anal fin has 12 rays. The 
first 10 or 12 rays of the upper margin of the pectorals are 
filiform. ‘The ventral fin is nearly circular, the anterior 
membrane being detached at its posterior margin, forming on 
each side a blunt rounded lobe in the adult and a sharply 
pointed lobe in the immature. fe : 
Coluration.— Very variable in different individuals, ranging 
from pale orange-pink or sandy to sooty black, Freshly 
