242 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



G. rninutus ; but now, instead of having only two species, 

 we can identify six as inhabiting the British shores. 



The Goblus niger is distinguished from the rest of the 

 British gobies in its growing to three or four times the size, 

 and in having the two dorsals contiguous, which in all the 

 other species are more or less remote. 



Gobius minutus.* — The Freckled Goby. 



Specific Characters. — Dorsal fins remote ; anterior rays of the second 

 dorsal fin longer than the succeeding ones ; caudal fin rounded ; first 

 dorsal with six rays. (See PL XXIX.) 



Description. — From a specimen two and a quarter inches in length. 

 Dorsal line nearly straight, slightly elevated over the pectorals; pro- 

 file falling from the orbit to the lip ; body rounded in the abdominal 

 region ; nape depressed ; tail compressed. Colour of the head, back, 

 and sides reddish-brown, freckled and streaked with dark brown ; 

 throat and belly whitish ; dorsal and caudal fins mottled with brown ; 

 ventral and anal fins plain. Operculum and preoperculum rounded ; 

 cheeks prominent ; under jaw longest ; on the nape a sulcus extend- 

 ing from the orbit to the dorsal fin. Eyes approximate, situated high 

 on the head, and in a line over the angle of the jaw. First dorsal fin 

 commencing behind the base of the pectorals, and ending in a line 

 over the end of the pectoral rays ; all the rays spiny and very flexi- 

 ble; the second and third rays longer than the fourth. Second dor- 

 sal fin taking its origin in a line over the vent, and terminating over 

 the last ray of the anal ; the anterior rays longer than the terminating 

 ones, all branched except the first, which is simple, and a little more 

 than half the length of the second. Anal fin commencing in a line 

 under the third ray of the second dorsal, and corresponding in form 

 to that fin ; ventrals united together so as to form but one fin, placed 

 under the chest a little behind the base of the pectorals ; the middle 

 rays the longest, reaching nearly to the vent ; pectorals when reflect- 

 ed reach as far as the middle of the orbit ; the centre ray the 

 longest ; tail rounded at the end ; behind the vent a small tubercle. 

 Scales large for the size of the fish, and finely ciliated at their free 

 margins ; lateral line straight, crossed throughout by ten or twelve 

 dark spots ; the one at the base of the tail the most conspicuous. 

 Number of fin rays — 



1st D. 6 ; 2d D. 10 ; P. 16 ; V. 8 ; A. 9 ; C. 15 ; B. 5. 



* Gobius rninutus, Cuv., Yarr., Jen., Penn., Don. Freckled Goby, Spot- 

 ted Goby, Polewig. 



