332 ANACANTHINI. 



Ammodytes toblanus, Linn. Sys. i, p. 430 ; Bl. t. lxxv, f. 2 ; Shaw, Zool. iv, 

 p. 81, pi. ix; Bl. Schn. p. 493; Gmel. Linn. p. 1144 ; Donov. Brit. Fish, ii, 

 pi. xxxiii ; Lesauvage, Bull. Sc. Nat. 1825, iv, p. 262 ; Ekstrom, Fiscke Morko, 

 p. 263 ; Swainson, Zool. Illus. (series 2) i, pi. lxiii ; Fleming, p. 201; Gronov. 

 ed. Gray, p. 159 ; White, Catal. Brit. Fish. p. 114 ; Giinther, Catal. iv, p. 385 ; 

 Collett, Norges Fiske, p. 126 ; Winther, Ich. Dan. Mar. p. 35 ; Morean, Poiss. < 

 France, iii, p. 218, c. fig. 



Ammodytes alliciens, Lacep. ii, p. 274, pi. viii, f. 1 ; White, Catal. Brit. Fish. 



Ammodytes lancea, Cuv. Regne Anim. ; Jenyns, Brit. Vert. p. 483 ; Yarrell, 

 Brit. Fish. (Ed. 1) ii, p. 322, c. fig. (Ed. 2) ii, p. 429 (Ed. 3) i, p. 94 ; Nilss. Skand. 

 Fauna, iv, p. 656 ; Kroyer, Dan. Fiske, iii, p. 593, c. fig. ; Thompson, Nat. Hist. 

 Ireland, iv, p. 237 ; Parnell, Wern. Mem. vii, p. 391, and Fish. Firth of Forth, 

 p. 94. 



Lesser launce, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, iii, p. 137, pi. clvii, f. 1. 



B. vii, D. 53-59, P. 12, A. 26-30, C. 15, L. 1. 125-145, Vert. 62-63, Coec. pyl. 1. 



Length of head 5j to 5 J, of caudal fin 9% to 11^-, height of body 7% to 9|- in 

 the total length. Eye — diameters 6 to 7 in the length of the head, 1-g- to 2-| 

 diameters from the end of the snout, and 1 to lj apart. Lower jaw projecting 

 some distance beyond the upper, but not so much as in A. lanceolatus. The 

 maxilla reaches posteriorly to beneath the hind nostril : the length of the 

 mandible equals 1/3 of that of the head : premaxillaries protractile. Nostrils 

 patent, rather nearer the orbit than to the end of the snout. Teeth — none in the 

 jaws : head of vomer forming a somewhat elevated transverse prominence, having 

 a few deciduous teeth posteriorly, also a single similar row along the body of that 

 bone : none on the palatines : a median row along the base of the tongue. Fins 

 — dorsal commences above the origin of the last third of the pectoral : the latter 

 fin 2/5 as long as the head. Stomach as in A. lanceolatus. Scales — small, from 125 

 to 145 transverse and oblique folds of skin. Lateral-line — the superior along the 

 side of the back, the inferior along the side of the lower edge of the abdomen. 

 Colours — upper-third of the body olive green, a silvery band, which widens and 

 becomes more distinct posteriorly, passes along the side of the body, one half 

 below, the other half above the median line : below this band the abdomen is 

 white. Fins unstained, except the base of the caudal which is brownish. This 

 fish is more silvery than the last species, and not so dark along the back, its 

 colours having been well likened to those of the atherine, or sand-smelt, with 

 its broad silvery lateral band. 



Names. — Lesser sand-eel, Yorkshire : lizard-bait, by the fishermen at St. Ives. 

 Ornals, at Aberdeen (Sim) : the wriggle, Sussex : lant, Cornwall. Saneels, Moray 

 Firth. L'ammodyte equille, French. Be Smelten, Dutch. 



Habits. — This species appears to congregate in greater assemblages than the 

 large sand-eel, and likewise to be seen more commonly nearer in shore, but it is 

 not rare to find the two forms together. 



Its head being small and muzzle sharp, it easily pierces the sand : while the 

 body is square and slender, and so causes no obstruction to its progress : but due to 

 its many enemies it always appears to be desirous of retreating rapidly into the 

 sand. Porpoises, codfish, mackerel, &c, are constantly on the look out for it when 

 the tide is high : and sea-birds when the tide is low. 



"The fishers say the sand-eels change their ground, so as to be hardly ever 

 two days at the same place " (Thompson, co. Down) : and this form takes to softer 

 ground than the larger species. At the ebb of the tide it buries itself about 

 a foot deep in the sand, remaining concealed there until the succeeding tide; 

 occasionally at low water its snout may be perceived above the sand, or its hiding- 

 place discovered by a little bubbling. Lightning is said to have a great effect in 

 causing it to bury itself. 



Means of capture. — Most sought for during spring tides (except in the winter). 

 " They are obtainable in sufficient quantities for bait all along the south coast 

 as far as the Scilly Isles, by those who have used the seines made for then 



