THE GOBIES. 173 
into a ship that the weapon has been broken off by the shock. In such 
cases, the blow is so severe, that the sailors have fancied that their vessel 
has struck upon a rock. Several museums possess examples of pierced 
planks and beams, but it is possible that the fish may have struck them by 
accident, and not in a deliberate charge. The Sword-fish generally go in 
airs, : 
‘< The food of this creature is rather varied, consisting of cuttle-fish, especially 
the squid, and of small fishes, neither of which animals would in any way fall 
victims to the sword. It certainly has been said that the weapon is used for 
transfixing the flat fish as they lie on the bed of the sea, but this assertion 
does not appear to be worthy of credit. 
The young and adult specimens are very different from each other. In the 
young, the body is covered with projecting tubercles, which gradually 
disappear as it increases in size, and when it has attained the length of three 
feet they are seldom to be seen. Those on the abdomen remain longer than 
the others. The dorsal fin extends in the young specimens from the back of the 
head to the root of the tail, but the membranes and spines of its centre are 
so extremely delicate that thev are soon rubbed away, and the adult specimen 
then appears to have two dorsal fins. 
The colour of the Sword-fish is bluish black above, and silvery white below. 
The whole body is rough, and the lateral line is almost invisible. The usual 
length of the Sword-fish is from ten to twelve feet, but specimens have been 
seen which much exceed those dimensions. A few examples of the Sword- 
fish have been captured in British waters ; one, that measured seven feet in 
length, was taken off Margate. 
WE now arrive at the large family of the GoBIES, which include many 
curious fish, and of which the British coasts present many representatives, 
THE BLACK GOBY, sometimes known as the ROCK-FISH, is a moderately 
common example of the enormous genus to which it belongs, and which 
contains more than a hundred and fifty authenticated species. The members 
of this genus may easily be recognized by the peculiar form of the ventral 
fins, which are united together so as to form a hollow disc, by which they can 
attach themselves to rocks or stones at pleasure. In fact, this disc, although 
differing in shape, acts on exactly the same principle as that of the sucking 
fish. 
The Black Goby prefers the rocky to the sandy coasts, and may be found 
in the pools left by the retreating tide. Some naturalists deny that the disc is 
_used for adhesion, but I have caught and kept many Gobies, and have fre- 
quently seen them sticking to the sides of the vessel in which they were 
confined. The adhesion was achieved with astonishing rapidity, and the 
little fish contrived to hold itself with great tenacity. The surface of the 
Black Goby is very slippery, owing to the abundant mucous secretion which 
is poured from the appropriate glands ; but after it has been in spirits for 
some time, the edges of the scales begin to project through the mucus, and 
are exceedingly rough to the touch. 
In some places along the sea-coast the Gobies are known by the popular 
appellation of Bull-routs, and are rather feared on account of the sharp bite 
which their strong jaws and pointed teeth can inflict upon the bare hard. 
ANOTHER small family now comes before us, called the Batrachide, or 
Frog-fishes, from the frogish aspect of the body, and especially of the head. 
THE FISHING FROG, ANGLER-FISH, or WIDE GAB, is not unfrequent on the 
British coasts, and has long been famous for the habit from which it has derived 
its popular name. . 
The first dorsal fin is almost wholly wanting, its place being occupied 
jucrely by three spines, moyeable by means of certain muscles, The manner 
