158 ASSOCIATION OF ORGANISMS—THE WEB OF LIFE 
may assume courtship colours of brilliant kind, but in some 
species the attractions are of a more elaborate nature. A good 
instance among British marine fishes is afforded by the Gemmeous 
Dragonet or Golden Skulpin (Cadionymus lyra, fig. 1115), where 
the female is of a dull brown, and was formerly, under the 
name of the Sordid Dragonet, considered to be a distinct 
species. The male, however, is yellow, with spots and stripes 
of blue, besides which his first dorsal fin is relatively large, and 
Fig. r115.—Gemmeous Dragonet (Cadlionymus lyra). Male above; female below 
its first ray is drawn out into a long slender filament, which 
appears to be of the nature of an ornament. Holt has described 
the courtship of an allied species, the Spangled Dragonet (C. 
lineatus), and says regarding the male that—‘‘its head and body 
are indescribable mingled harmony of many shades of brown 
and blue and green, set off with light-blue spots and _pearl- 
coloured stripes; the anterior dorsal fin, which can be erected 
like a high sail, is golden yellow, studded with many white-edged 
blue ocelli; the tail fin is a blend of brown and yellow, set with 
turquoise spots; the belly fin is like dark-blue velvet sown with 
rows of turquoise; the pelvic fins are like golden-green satin, 
