186 
MALACOPTERYGII. 
from the body, is a conspicuous black spot, and from this a narrow line of 
black runs for some distance forward between the white and brown mar- 
ginal lines just mentioned. 
A. fin transparently colourless with a very narrow white margin, and 
black as in the D. within the white line which terminates it transversely, 
and the black runs forward for some way near the margin. 
C. fin coloured like the body till towards the margin, where a broad 
band of rich brown and black intermixed appears, and is margined with 
white. 
P. fins dull yellow. 
Y. fins white. Under parts white with a delicate lilac hue. 
The Three-bearded Rockling, Motella tricirrata , Nilss., 
— vulgaris, Cuv., 
Is found sparingly around the coast. 
Its colour is very variable. Mr. Yarrell remarks that “ young fish of this 
species are of a uniform brown colour until they have acquired 6 or 7 
inches in length,” but the first specimen of it which I captured (in Jan.) 
was only 3f inches long, and of a brown colour, thickly spotted over the 
head, opercula, back, and .sides with pale yellow spots : it was taken in 
Strangford Lough. 
A 2nd example 9 inches in length, and captured in Belfast Bay, was 
similarly marked. Small examples under 3 inches in length taken at 
Lahinch, Co. Clare at the end of July, under stones between tide-marks, 
were, together with examples of the five-bearded species taken at the 
same time, uniform in colour. 
Of two specimens of 10 and 14 inches long which I received from the 
rocky coasts of Down and Antrim, the smaller was marked with a few 
black pea-sized spots more numerous posteriorly, and the other displayed 
numerous black markings just as represented in Donovan’s Fishes, plate 
2: the ground colour of both fishes rich brown. The pupil of the eye 
was dark blue, irides silvery clouded with brown ; the stomach contained 
a small crab ( Platgcarcinus Pagurus ) and the remains of a fish. In Dr. 
R. Ball’s collection is a specimen from Youghal 20 inches in length, 2nd 
D. 56 ; A. 51 ; P. 21 ; V. 8 ; C. 34 in all. 
Two males which I received from Donaghadee early in the month of 
Oct. had the milt highly developed. This species is said to be “ very com- 
mon in Roundstone Bay, Connemara.” * 
The Five-bearded Rockling, Motella Mustela, Nilss., 
— quinquecirrata, Cuv., 
Is distributed around the coast, and is more common than the three- 
bearded species. I have obtained specimens taken in rock-pools from 
numerous localities, and also one example dredged by Mr. G. C. Hynd- 
man in water from 3 to 6 fathoms deep in Belfast Bay. Some young 
ones which I obtained at Lahinch in the month of June were less than 2 
inches in length. 
The Torsk or Tusk, Brosmus vulgaris, Cuv., 
Is said to have been taken on the coast. 
We can only quote on this species, as Irish, the five words used in 
Mr. M‘Coy, in Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. vi. p. 404. 
