'H.OJ.T—Survei/ of Fishing Grounds, West Coast of Ireland. 433 



Davalaim, Clew Bay, Broadhaven, Donegal Bay, Killybegs outer harbour, and Sheep- 

 haven. It is evidently a strictly bottom-haunting species, since, as CoUett remarked, 

 the air-bladder is almost always very much disturbed when brought to the surface 

 from even such moderate depths. 



DRAGONET — Callionymus lyra. 



Immature dragonets were taken between 1 and 80 fathoms. The smallest, about 

 1 inch, was at 80 fathoms ; others from 1 to 3 inches in 41 fathoms. One, about 2 

 inches, was at 55 fathoms, and many small specimens were at much less depths. 

 Specimens of about 5 inches were very numerous in Bof&n Harbour, 1 to 5 fathoms, 

 and almost everywhere in less than 10 fathoms. Mature examples were taken at 25, 

 and at 62 to 52 fathoms. 



On the east coast of Scotland dragonets up to about half-an-inch are very 

 numerous at the surface in St. Andrew's Bay and elsewhere late in the summer, and 

 occur also at the bottom at various depths (about 4 to 7 fathoms in St. Andrew's Bay). 

 Fulton obtained most of his immature examples (under 6 inches) at about 14 fathoms. 



It appears that mature examples do not venture into very shallow water, whilst 

 the immature extend from the margin into considerable depths. 



SAND-SMELT — Atherina preshyter. 

 About 6 mature specimens of 5 inches and a specimen of 3 inches were taken in the 

 seine on the sandy margin of Smerwick Harbour, 1st April, 1891. The species seems 

 partial to such localities, but is rather local in its distribution. I have since taken 

 post-larval examples in a rock-pool at the end of June. 



WRASSES— iffSHcfce. 



The Wrasses collected include the Ballan Wrasse, Labrus inaculatus ; Cook, 

 L. mixfus ; Corkwing, Grenilabrus onelops ; and Goldsinny, Ctenolahrus rupestris. 



In their youngest stages the different members of this family are difficult to distin- 

 guish from each other, and as the adults principally affect rocky ground, inaccessible to 

 the trawl, it is not possible to say much as to their comparative frequency. The Cook 

 appears to be the rarest, only one mature example, a female of 11 inches, having been 

 procured. This was at 30 to 31 fathoms, off St. John's Point, Donegal Bay, where 

 the trawl hitched a rock. None of the other species were taken in more than 

 17 fathoms. 



In August 25 examples, ranging from f inch to 2\ inches, were trawled among s. 

 weeds and Zostera in Kibonan (Aran) and Ballinskelligs Bays. They appear to be 

 young Ballan Wrasse, with one young Cook, \\ inch, and perhaps a few very young 

 Corkwings amongst them. CorkMungs from 2J inches to 4 inches, occurred in one of 

 the same hauls. In April Corkwing from 2 to 4 inches were taken in Boffin Harbour 

 and Kilkieran Bay, with, at the last place, 2 Goldsinnies, If and Z\ inches in lengtht 

 In May young Ballan Wrasse of 3| inches, and Corkwings, from 2 to 2^ inches, were 

 numerous in Ballynakill Harbour. In June some young Corkwings were amongst the 

 weedy fringes of rock pools at Killeany, and mature examples, 4^ to 5 j inches, were taken 

 in Clifden Harbour, with young Ballan Wrasse, 3f inches long. In July Corkwings from 

 2f to 4 inches, and one of 9 inches, with young Ballan Wrasse of 4^ inches, were 

 amongst the Zostera beds in Inishlyre Roads and Blacksod Bay. The greatest depth 

 was 6 fathoms, and all the hauls were on very weedy ground, so that it is evident that 

 the shallow weedy ground in sheltered bays is the nursery of these two species. Larger 



SCIEN. PROC. R.D.S., VOL. VII., PART IV. 2 M 



