432 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



JOHN DORY— ^««s faber. 



As a matter of fact, with the exception of the five smallest specimens, all the fish 

 examined were sexually mature, as all the specimens from 11 to 13 inches were males. 

 As far as we can judge there is no great difference between the habitats of the young 

 and old ; but we have no evidence as to the very youngest stages. Fulton records a 

 specimen three inches long from 10 fathoms. 



Aphia pellucida. 



4 adult examples were taken in Killybegs Inner Harbour in June, 1890. This is 

 a very small fish, which had not previously been found in Irish waters. I never 

 succeeded in getting any more specimens, though the shrimp trawl was worked over 

 the same ground, and in many likely situations elsewhere. I therefore suppose that 

 it is as rare here, as in other parts of Britain. It is apparently common on the 

 Norwegian coast, where its habits have been observed by Collett, who concludes that 

 it is an annual i-ertebrate, which spawns at the end of a year, and dies thereafter. 



Crystalogobius nilssonii. 



This is another very small fish, of which only one British specimen (from Banft') 

 had been previously obtained. Collett drew the same conclusions from his observa- 

 tions of this form, as in the last. It is extremely abundant on the "West coast of 

 Ireland, and forms a frequent item of the food of some valuable fishes, but, as it 

 always remains transparent, and in general appearance strongly resembles a very young 

 herring or sprat, its neglect is easily understood. 



In August a great number of all sizes, from adult and ripe males and females down 

 to extremely minute individuals, were taken at 28 to 32 fathoms,^ a fact which argues 

 considerable latitude in the spa"«Tiing season. In June a number were found in the 

 stomachs of various fish in Galway Bay at 16 fathoms. Other specimens, either from the 

 stomachs of fish, or in tow-nets attached to the trawl, were taken between 10 and 35 

 fathoms at Ballinskelligs Bay, Kenmare Eiver, Galway Bay, Ballynakill Bay, off 



^ Since this, the first appearance of the species in Irish waters, was recorded, Mr. 

 J. T. Cunningham has announced the capture of a large number off the Eddystone 

 Lighthouse in 27 fathoms. He supposes that they are "fairly abundant between 

 20 and 30 fathoms on smooth sandy ground aU along the British and Irish coasts." 

 {Vide "Nature," vol. xliv,, Sep. 1891, p. 482.) As far as concerns the "West coast of 

 Ireland, Mr. Cunningham's conjecture is more than confirmed, but the vertical range 

 is a little more extended, and the species occurs on muddy as well as sandy ground. 



