Animal Life by the Sea-shore. 



is formed of slender, flexible rays ; a Weever (Trachinus) if the 

 ventrals are close together and the first dorsal consists of 

 pungent spines ; and a Rockling [Omis) if the snout and chin are 

 provided with feelers or barbels. Are the ventral fins reduced 

 to two or three rays, we have a Blenny {Bleniiius) if the dorsal 

 fin is composed of soft rays and quite distinct from the caudal ; 

 a Viviparous Blenny {Zoarces) if the dorsal and caudal, formed 

 of soft rays, are confluent with the caudal ; or a Gunnell [Pholis] 

 if the ventrals are rudimentary and the dorsal ccinsists of a series 

 of stiff, pungent spines, 



(d) Fishes with the Ventral Fins United into One. — If we 

 find, in combination, the body covered with scales, the ventrals 

 formed of rays as in most fishes, and two distinct dorsal fins, 

 there can be no mistake : the creature before us is a Goby 

 (Gobius). If, on the other hand, the ventrals are completely 

 transformed into a sucker, or surround a sucking disc, and a 

 single dorsal is present, we must hesitate between a Lump-sucker 

 [Cycloptcrus), a Sea-snail (Liparis) or a Sucker (Lepadogaster). 

 The first is distinguished by the presence of warts and tubercles 

 on the body ; the second by its perfectly smooth skin and a 

 long dorsal fin, at least half the length of the fish ; and the 

 third by a flattened, prominent snout, a shorter dorsal fin, and 

 the division of the sucker into two parts. 



(e) Fishes without Ventral Fins. — These faU into two 

 groups : those in ^^'hicll the body is naked or covered with 

 minute, almost imperceptible scales, and those in which it is 

 mailed by bonj' scutes in the form of rings. To the first belong 

 the Eel and the Conger, which are outside the scope of this 

 article, and the Sand-eel {Amnwdytes) , distinguished bv a shorter 

 body and a forked caudal fin, this fin being rounded and confluent 

 with the dorsal and anal in the eels. To the second belong the 

 Sea-horse [Hippocampus), with short bod}' and prehensile, 

 finless tail, and the Pipe-fishes, with very elongate, serpentiform 

 body. The latter are referred to two genera — Syngnathns 

 with well-developed pectoral and caudal fins ; and Nerophis, 

 without pectorals and with the caudal rudimentary or absent. 

 We may now proceed with an enumeration of the principal 

 species found on our coasts. 



The Wrasses, although not appreciated as food-fishes, 

 afford amusement to the novice angler at the seaside, o^\ing 

 to their abundance about weed-covered rocks and the readiness 

 with which they take a bait. Theyr are often bhlliantl}' coloured, 

 and ni some the differences in colour and markings between 

 the two sexes are so great as to cause them to be commonly 



