THE DRAGONET FAMILY. 175 



found in as great abundance in Norway as in the South of 

 England. The authors (Fries, Ekstrom and Sundevall) of the 

 recently published work on Scnndinavian Fishes, observe that 

 June is approximately the spawning-season of this species, 

 and the development of the post-larval examples would appear 

 to point to May or early June as the probable period on our 

 shores. 



In spirit-preparations about 32 ram. long procured in 

 August, and forwarded by the Royal Dublin Society, the black 

 pigment is arranged as follows : — In both sexes, a continuous 

 median line passed from the hyoidean region to the mid- 

 abdomen, while from the vent backward an interrupted series of 

 black chromatophores proceeds to the tail. From the pectorals 

 backward to the vent a series of similar pigment-specks is 

 dotted on the sides of the abdomen. The female in this case 

 was nearly ripe, the ova being visible. 



The Dragonet Family. Callionymidae. 



The Dragonet or Skulpin. (Callionymus lyra, L.) 



This fish stands in a somewhat isolated position in its 

 relationship to the other food-fishes, and though it is not 

 directly used for food by man, it is utilised indirectly in that it 

 forms an item in the diet of the cod or other food-fishes. 

 Although its development does not closely resemble that of 

 the gobies, there are no good reasons for altering its present 

 alliance with them. Its scientific name is given to it on 

 account of the brilliant colouring of the males. The females 

 besides being smaller are of a sombre brown colour, which 

 is doubtless a protective factor as the fishes haunt the 

 bottom where stones and sand abound. The males are said 

 usually to frequent deeper water though we cannot corroborate 

 this opinion. The eggs are pelagic and fertilisation is effected 

 in the water. So different do the sexes appear that it is not 

 very long since they were described in works on Fishes as 

 separate species. The male dragonet differs from the female. 



