Scharff — Notes on a Suclnng-Fish. 449 



narrow dark bands distributed over the surface of the skin, which 

 •are absent in L. montagui, though this character, according to 

 Yarrell, is not always to be met with. 



Both forms occur between tide marks, L. montagui being often 

 found concealed beneath stones, where, when at rest, the body is 

 bent, so that the tail is brought close to the head. The two species 

 have a wide range ; but they are decidedly northern forms, having 

 heen recorded from the Polar Regions to the Shores of France, and 

 also on the North American Coast. In Greenland L. vulgaris is 

 said to be used as food, and it seems to be more common there 

 than the other species, which becomes more numerous as we pro- 

 ceed to temperate climes. 



As regards their distribution on the Irish Coast, I have men- 

 tioned the only recorded localities of L. vulgaris, viz. " Lough 

 Foyle and Larne." L. montagui, on the other hand, has been 

 recorded by Thomson from Carrickfergus and Portpatrick in the 

 North ; by the late Dr. Ball from Tramore and Youghal in the 

 South, and Roundstone in the West ; while the Rev. Father 

 Davis recently obtained some specimens in Baltimore Bay (Co. 

 Cork) for the Museum Collections. 



