ANDREWS ON THE GREENLAND BULLHEAD. 225 



dies, rigidly expanding its fins ; and the colours are for a considerable 

 time, if not permanently, fixed. 



At the meeting of this Society, 1850, were present Dr. Hart, the 

 late Dr. Harrison, and Professor Allman. The latter observed that this 

 was not a solitary instance, but one of the many interesting facts of the 

 kind, of additions to the Fauna of the country, made known through 

 the means of the Society. Now, I think it of more importance care- 

 fully to study affinities in the several branches of zoology and botany, 

 so as to endeavour to unravel any apparent confusion that exists, than 

 to add to our nomenclature of species. 



Following out such inquiries, late in the month of August of last 

 year I had the opportunity of obtaining in Dingle Harbour several spe- 

 cimens of the young state of Cottus Grcenlandicus, which had all the 

 characteristics of the adult fish, with the exception of the brilliant co- 

 lours, and the markings not so well defined. The remarkable distinc- 

 tion of the spinous or roughly ciliated processes was present on the 

 under portion of the rays of the pectoral fins, and which, not 

 being traceable in C. bubalis, nor in some specimens of C. scorpius, lead 

 to the belief that that peculiarity alone exists in the male fish of C. 

 scorpius and of C Grcenlandicus. From the very fine specimens now 

 before you of Cottus scorpius, from the Museum of the Royal Dublin 

 Society, and which were all taken on the south-west coast, it is quite 

 clear, from their examination, that the specific name Grcenlandicus 

 cannot be maintained, and that the entire are truly forms of Cottus 

 scorpius (Fabricius), in "Fauna Grajnlandica," and identical with that 

 species which is, no doubt, widely distributed on the eastern as well as 

 on the western shores of Ireland. These species, hitherto only acci- 

 dentally taken on our coasts, have led to confusion in the distinction of 

 our marine Bullheads. From the closest examination, therefore, of 

 those that have been recently obtained, it is quite clear that the Cottus 

 Grcenlandicus (Cuvier) and the C. scorpius of our shores are but one 

 species; and that each presents in form and markings, and in the nasal, 

 scapular, and humeral spines, the same features of identity. The varied 

 characters of colour and marking that apparently would create distinc- 

 tion are merely attributable to sex, and to season. The Cottus scorpio 

 (Bloch), (La Scorpion de Her), is, in the description according to M. 

 Tonning, similar to the American species of C. scorpius. Yery little 

 distinction from C. scorpius can be seen in the forms of C. porosus of 

 Valenciennes, nor between those of the common Pogge of the British 

 shores (Asphidophorus Europceus), and that species so widely distributed 

 in the Baltic, coast of Norway, the Northern Sea, to Greenland, Ice- 

 land, and to Siberia, and in the North Pacific Ocean. 



Referring to my notes of the examination of C. Grcenlandicus, and 

 of the several specimens of C. scorpius taken in Dingle Harbour, I find 

 the numbers of the rays closely to correspond with those described both 

 in the " Fauna Boreali Americana," and in the third edition of " Yar- 

 rell." I have, however, seen such variation in the number of the rays 



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