Holt — Survey of Fishing Grounds, West Coast of Ireland. 431 



LONa-SPINED BULL-HEAD— Co«««* bubalis 

 Mature and immature specimens were everywhere common on weedy ground in 

 shallow water, and amongst the rocks at the margin. The distribution of the two 

 species on this coast presents a marked contrast to the condition on the East coast of 

 Scotland, where the first species appears'to be the more common. 



ABMED BULL-HEAD — Agonus cataphr actus. 



A specimen, less than 1 inch in length, was trawled in Killeaney Bay in April, at 

 3 fathoms. Specimens, \\ and 2 inches, were at 9 to 7 fathoms in Dingle Bay in August. 

 One of 3| inches was in 15 fathoms in Galway Bay in April. Larger examples were 

 occasionally taken in shallow water amongst weeds. Fulton found examples under 2 

 inches in length, both in deep and shallow water, in-shore and off-shore, on the East 

 coast of Scotland, where the species appears to be more abundant. 



LESSEE WEEVER— TracAiwas 

 A few specimens were obtained from the stomachs of other fish at 8 and 9 to 10- 

 fathoms, off Horn Head and off Port Stewart. The eggs were very abundant in Donegal 

 and Inver Bays. 



ANGLEE — Lophiiis piscatorms. 



Five immature examples, ranging from 8|^ to 21 inches, were at various depths from 

 16 to 38 fathoms. One of 12 inches occurred in rather shallow water off Aran (exact 

 depth not specified). A mature specimen of 30 inches was taken at 4 to 12 fathoms, 

 and 3 from 33 to 42 inches occurred between 32 and 48 fathoms. A mature male, 25 

 inches, was at 115 fathoms, 40 miles off Bolus Head. On the east coast of Scotland, 

 where the species is much more abundant than, fortunately, appears to be the case on 

 our ground, Fulton notes the remarkable paucity of small examples, and thinks 

 that they must frequent the rocky in-shore grounds. The adults have an extensive 

 vertical range. They have been taken by the " Eesearch " on the south-west coast at 

 200 fathoms; by the "Talisman" at 411 fathoms; and on the other side of the 

 Atlantic at 365 fathoms. On the other hand they are constantly caught in the salmon 

 stake-nets on the East coast of Scotland. 



LUMP-SUCKBE — Cyclopterus lumpus. 



This common littoral fish is only represented in our collections by 2 or 3 specimens, 

 less than an inch in length, which occurred in the surface-nets in June, always amongst 

 floating weed, and an example about 2 inches, taken in the mackerel nets off Eidge 

 Point, BlacksodBay, probably also amongst weeds. A post-larval specimen was trawled 

 in shallow water in Killeany Bay in April. The adults appear to live amongst the 

 rocks, quite near the shore, but are not usual in the tidal pools except during the breeding 

 season, when the male remains to guard the great masses of ova deposited between tide- 

 marks. Great numbers of the fish are sometimes taken in the salmon stake-nets in 

 St. Andrew's Bay. Very young examples, about half-an inch in length, may be usually 

 taken in the summer and autumn on any coast amongst the fringes of Fucus, &c., at 

 the edge of rock-pools. At a somewhat older stage they appear sometimes to swim in 

 shoals. 



