OF BRITISH FISHES 



91 



CYCLOPTERUS montagui. 



(Pl. V. Fig. 1. Part of adhesion, a.) 



Diminutive Lump- sucker. Don, Br, Fishes, iii. tab. 68. 

 (young.) 



Turton, Br, Fauna, p. 115. No. 157. 



At the time Mr Donovan was publishing his 

 work on British fishes, I sent him a drawing of a 

 very minute species of Sucking-fish, accompanied 

 with a description, which he thought proper to 

 publish, and, in compliment, gave it the above 

 title. I had at that time taken only two or three 

 of this .very diminutive species, which were, in 

 every respect, similar to each other, and by that 

 circumstance alone, could an opinion be formed 

 as to the probable size of the fish in an adult 

 state. 



After the third volume of the British Fishes was 

 completed, I sent Mr Donovan another fish of the 

 same genus (which was taken in the same place), 

 double the size of the former, and of a more ro- 

 bust make. By the comparison of these fishes, I 

 really suspected them to be actually belonging to the 

 same species, and that this last was, in fact, only a 

 more matured specimen ; bat, without mentioning 

 my conjecture to Mr Donovan, I requested him 

 to give me his opinion, which he did, by expres- 

 sing his suspicion that it was of the same species. 



This confirmed me in my opinion ; for although 

 there is a considerable difference both in shape and 



