miller’s thumb. 
7 
and after him Willoughby, represent the female as becoming 
much distended with spawn, which she collects into little 
lumps on her breast, where it is covered with a black membrane 
until it is hatched. On the other hand Linmeus says that she 
forms a nest on the ground, to which Fleming adds that it 
IS made of a hole in the gravel, and there she broods over 
it until they are produced to life. Blumenbach’s representation 
IS, that it keeps watch over its nest. This species retains 
life for many hours after it is taken from the water. It is 
esteemed as food in those countries where very small fishes 
are not disregarded. 
It grows to the length of three or four inches; the head 
large, broad, and depressed; the front round, swelling at the 
cheeks, with a crooked spine low on the gill-cover. Jaws 
equal, with very small teeth; eyes small, high on the head, 
with a depression obliquely before them. The body smooth, 
tapering from the origin of the first dorsal fin to the tail, 
ihe lateral line almost straight. The first dorsal fin begins a 
little behind the root of the pectorals, and is low, with an 
oval ontline; the second dorsal near the first, and passing on 
ose to the tail, which is round; anal fin not quite so long 
as t e second dorsal; pectorals large, the rays bearing out 
the inembrane; ventral fins small; the rays of all the fins soft 
and flexible. Colour, on a ground of dusky yellow, dark 
ands or spots, in which the fins partake; white below. 
