14 Animal Life by the Seashore. 



species. The generic cliaracters liave been mentioned above, 

 and to this definition we ma}' add that the male Syngnaihus is 

 provided witli a brood-poucli under tlie tail, formed of two 

 flaps of skin meeting on the median line and splitting open for 

 the release of the young, while in Ncrophis the male carries 

 the eggs attached to the belly. The Great Pipe-fish {Syngnaihus 

 acus) has the snout shaped like the Sea-horse's, but longer, and 

 grows to seventeen or eighteen inches. The Broad-nosed Pipe- 

 fish (S. typhle), which grows to about thirteen inches, differs 

 in tlie much deeper snout, wliich is iiearly as deep as the part of 

 the head behind the eyes. The Snake Pipe-fish {Nerophis 

 ceqnoreus) has the snout equal to, or rather larger tlian, the 

 remaining part of the head, but not more than half its depth, 

 and the tail ends in a nrdimentary, very indistinct fin. The 

 Straight-nosed Pipe-fish [N. ophidian), a much rarer species, 

 differs in the deeper snout and tl^e tail tapering to an almost 



FIG. 12. MALES OF SNAKE PIPE-FISH AND LITTLE PIPE-FISH 



WITH EGGS ATTACHED TO THE BELLY. 



fihform point, without any trace of caudal fin. This Pipe-fish, 

 and the two others of the genus Nerophis, often rest in an erect 

 position, with the tip of the tail loosely curled round weeds or 

 other proiecting objects — an attitude approaching that of the 

 Sea-horse, although the tail is not prehensile to the same degree. 

 These fishes reach a foot, or a httle over a foot, in length. 

 The Little Pipe-fish {N . hi-iiibricifonnis), only five inches long, is 

 the commonest in shallow water, and easily distinguished by its 

 very short snout, turned upwards at the end. Although so 

 m.uch smaller than its congeners, this fish has the eggs larger 

 and consequently much fewer, forming a single band of three 

 or four longitudinal series on the bell}' instead of two bands 

 each composed of four or five series (Fig. 12). Male Nerophis 

 with eggs are to be found throughout the summer. Zostera beds 

 are the favourite resort of the Pipe-fishes. 



As regards the mode of propagation, the fishes \\'itli which 

 we liave thus briefly dealt may be arranged as follows : 



