MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT POUT ERIN. 



125 



tanks. In some cases size, in others habits and the nature 

 of the food, make confinement in even the largest tank for 

 more than a brief period impossible, but a collection fairly 



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Fig. XXVI. — Common Shore Fishes (half natural size.) 



1. Cottus scorpius, the Bull-head. 



2. Blennius pholis, the Shanny. 



3. Nerophis lumbriciformis, the Worm Pipe-fish. 



representative of both the great classes of fishes is always 

 on view. We shall now give brief notes on some of the 

 commoner species, beginning with those which have 

 cartilaginous skeletons. 



Skates and Rays (Fig. XXVII.). 



Five or six species of this family inhabit the Irish 

 Sea, and specimens of the cuckoo-ray, spotted ray, and 

 thornback-ray (fig. XXVII., C) may occasionally be seen 

 in our tanks. They are all bottom haunting fishes, and 

 are very voracious, their food consisting of crustaceans, 

 molluscs and fishes. Their horny egg cases, commonly 

 known as mermaid's purses (E) are often found amongst 

 the weeds and other debris left by the receding tide. 



