DISCOBOLI. 187 



posteriorly, where it scai-cely joins the base of the caudal. Pectorals reach the 

 base of the anal fin in some but not in all examples, they are very broad, 

 extending downwards and forwards under the throat, the lower five rays rather 

 elongated, occasioning the fin to appear notched. Ventrals, each has six rays 

 surrounding the disc, which has 13 soft and flat papillaa, while it is as broad as 

 long, equalling nearly half the length of the head. Anal commences beneath 

 the sixth or seventh dorsal ray, it is scarcely so high as the dorsal, while its 

 last ray is connected with the base of the caudal fin : the latter is cut square. 

 Vent midway between the posterior extremity of the disc and the commence- 

 ment of the anal fin. Skin very loose even on the fins. Ccecal appendages 

 rather long, 10 in number. Colours — purplish or yellowish brown with 

 numerous small dark spots. Dorsal and anal fins yellow, dotted with black : 

 pectoral yellow, its upper portion also black dotted. Caudal with three or 

 more vertical bands of black spots, the one nearest the base of the tail being 

 usually the widest. 



Varieties.— Collett, Christ. Vid. Selsk. Forh. 1879, No. 1, p. 37, gives a 

 very full account of the local varieties in this species. (1) Principalis 

 being L Montagui, Malm. (2) maculatus or L. maculatus, Malm. (3) annulatus, 

 (4) striatus, L. Uneatus and L. vulgaris, Malm. (5) pictus, (6) obscurus, 

 (7) liparoicles or Cyclopterus liparoid.es, Nilss. (8) Fhstromi or L. Fhstromi, Malm. 



Names. — Diminutive I ump-suelcer. 



Habits. — A comparatively active fish, and rarely uses its sucker unless in a 

 stream or when it appears likely to be pushed aside, while it is not often captured 

 at a depth exceeding four or five fathoms, and during the spring and summer may 

 be found under stones exposed by a receding tide. Mcintosh, of St. Andrew's, 

 says it is abundant in rock pools in the Laminarian region, and in deeper water, as 

 in the stomach of the cod and haddock. L. Lester (Zool. 1855) observes on one 

 he took in Dorsetshire that it attached itself both to the wood of a pail, and to 

 the sides of a glass bottle. I found in one, two whole and portions of three other 

 shrimps. They are not unfrequently taken adhering to sea- weed, Fuci, and sand- 

 hoppers have been found in their stomachs. Placed in a globe of sea-water they 

 at once attach themselves to it. 



Breeding. — I received three fine examples and a small one from Brighton 

 at the commencement of March, 1880, the largest was 5 inches in length, all 

 were females with the ova fully developed : I have likewise observed them full 

 of ova in April : large eggs and small ones are present at the same time. 

 Couch and others have stated that the females are larger than the males : 

 while Putman remarks that in American examples the latter have the first 

 six dorsal rays prolonged and fleshy (Pro. Am. Ass. 1874, p. 335). Couch 

 observes that in examples, he considered the male, he had found the dorsal fin 

 e.\j landed at its termination, but in the females wider at the middle and narrow 

 behind. 



1 In bi tat. — This species has been recorded from Spitzbergen and the White 

 Sea, as far north as 70° N. lat. It, however, appears to be more numerous 

 as we proceed to temperate climates than is the Liparis vulgaris. In America 

 it extends from the Polar regions to Cape Cod. 



Discovered by Colonel Montagu at Milton, on the south coast of Devonshire, 

 it unfortunately in this country has generally been considered a diminutive 

 form.*, whereas it attains a size almost equalling that of the sea-snail. In the 

 Orkneys and Shetland Isles an example upwards of 3 inches in length 

 was taken by M.r. Syine in the winter of 1850-51 (W. Baikie) : Edward has met 

 with it at Banff, Sim at Aberdeen, Peach at Wick. Johnston observes it 

 lias been found at Berwickshire, where he considered it rare: Lowe states 

 it to be common in the estuaries of Norfolk, and to have been several times 

 taken in the river opposite Lynn in fresh waters at low tides. It is common 

 off the mi »nth of the Thames, also along the south coast as far as Devonshire 

 and Cornwall, in which last county, however, it is not abundant. It is also found 

 in the ( Jhannel tslands. 



Jn Ireland, according fco Thompson, it is taken all round the coast. 



