THE LUMP SUCKEB. 219 



latter, by Pallas and Sir James C. Ross, to have been obtained among floating 

 masses of sea-weed in the Atlantic Ocean. 



" I have had the opportunity of examining specimens of C. Lumpus (as all are 

 considered to be) taken from the northern to the southern coast of Ireland. Of 

 the individuals particularized in this article, those answering to the Cycl. minutus, 

 Pall., were taken at the surface of the sea about Larne (in September, 18-36) and 

 Drumnasole (in August, 1837), in the County of Antrim, by Mrs. Patterson of Bel- 

 fast, who favoured me with them. In the month of July, a few years ago, Mr. 

 Hyndman (Memb. Nat. Hist. Soc. of Belfast) took in Larne Lough several mi- 

 nute specimens of a Cydopterus under an mch in length, and which, like the 

 Cycl. mimitm of Pallas, were among masses of sea-weed floating on the surface 

 of the water ; but the specimens having unfortunately been lost before they 

 reached me, nothing further can be said of them. Those agreeing with the Gob. 

 minutus were, as before-mentioned, captured in Strangford Lough,* County 

 Down. In Kingstown harbour, near Dublin, an individual nearly as minute as 

 any here described was taken by Dr. R. Ball and myself, in August, 1836, by 

 dredging. A rare fish mentioned by a correspondent as occasionally taken at 

 Wexford, and of which a figure was communicated to me, proved to be this 

 species ; and at Youghal examples 18 inches in length have been procured by 

 Dr. Ball — of a similar size is one from the northern coast preserved in the 

 Belfast Museum. 



" The following notes from my journal on the mature CyclojHerus Lumjms may 

 not be unacceptable. 



" March 2%th, 1835. — A large lump fish, taken near Carrickfergus, was brought 

 to me yesterday morning; but, not being purchased, was as a curiosity hawked 

 about the streets of Belfast throughout the day, and by several persons my at- 

 tention was directed to it as an extraordinary production ; its semi-transparent 

 dull grey colour, much diversified, or apparently begrimed with black, certainly 

 gave it somewhat of a hideous aspect. No purchaser being found here, it was 

 taken this morning to the town of Lisburn, about seven miles distant, and was 

 displayed as on the preceding day, but with more success, as it was there dis- 

 posed of. This I learned in the afternoon, by the taxidermist to whom it was 

 sent, calling to show it to me as a strange fish just received from the inland town 

 of Lisburn, a locality considered to enhance its rarity. 



" April 8th, 1836. — To the middle of April, 1835, when 1 left home, but the 

 one lump fish had been brought to Belfast market, and the first for the present 

 season was brought hither to-day. It was taken in the bay along with mullet 

 {Mugil Chelo), and was alive when I saw it, although several hours out of the 

 water. As in the specimen of last year, no bright colours were displayed, the 

 general hue being blackish, intermixed with dirty white ; the under surface of 

 the latter colour ; on close examination a little dull red was visible at the ex- 

 treme tips of the caudal fin, and the pectorals presented an extremely faint 

 orange tinge. On dissection it proved to be a female, and contained a vast 

 quantity of ova, of a delicate rose colour. The ova alone weighed 25 oz. ; of 

 this I had a drachm weighed and carefully reckoned the number of ova, 

 each nearly a line in diameter, that it contained, and found the whole mass, 

 if considered accordmgly, would consist of the amazing number of 101,935 

 ova — the produce of a fish about 15 inches in length. With such prolific 

 powers we can readily imagine that this species should abound, as it is reported 

 to do, in the northern seas, its chief abode. The stomach did not contain any 

 food. 



" On the 13th of this month another female specimen, of similar size and colour 



* The C. Lumpus has been described to mc as entering this " lough," or arm 

 of the sea, in spring, — the period of depositing its ova. 



At the island of Lambay, off' the County of Dublin, I, early in the month of 

 June last, captured a Cyclnptcrxis which was equally minute with those obtained 

 in Strangford Lough, but of a dark colour— it did not possess any tubercles. 



