LUMPFISH. 
187 
the proceeding, and the male has been known to flit hither 
and thither, without being able to leave the spot. But the 
further supposition, referred to by Lacepede, of the continuance 
of this watchful care until and after the appearance of the 
young ones, by remaining near them, may receive an expla- 
nation which would lead to a different conclusion. The 
Lumpfish is slow to move at any time, and there are few fishes 
which are not particularly inert when the proceeding of shedding 
their spawn has been accomplished. It is easy to suppose, 
therefore, that when thus exhausted with lassitude and fatigue, 
the sucking organ would be put into action for support, and 
not again be soon disengaged. Such will probably be the 
case with both the parents; or different individuals of the same 
sex may become settled down without motion near each other, 
without being influenced to this by the amicable feelings which 
have been imputed to them. 
It seems probable that the time of depositing the spawn 
is not always the same; for although the young for the most 
part appear early in summer, I have known them of very 
small size in the month of September. Their escape from the 
egg is speedy, and when of early growth they are found in 
crab-pots that have been set in favourable situations at the 
depth of six or eight fathoms. The opportunities which thus 
offer themselves are so far of interest that they have afforded 
the means of observing the remarkable changes the young pass 
through in the early stages of their growth; in which they 
undergo such transformations as may with some propriety be 
termed a series of metamorphoses. 
Thus in an example of minute size, not exceeding three lines 
in length, the general shape conveyed the impression of some 
resemblance to the tadpole of the frog, although with a deeper 
form of head, and bearing a different colour. The head itself 
and anterior portion of the body were elevated, solid, wide, 
and rounded; the forehead perpendicular from the jaws, which 
are equal; mouth with a moderate gape. Back flat, slightly 
rounded, where in the full-grown Lumpfish it is ridged. 
From the vent backward slender, compressed, longer to the 
caudal fin than from the vent forward. Dorsal fins two, the 
first narrow and elevated, the second and anal fin long, narrow, 
united to the tail; the latter round; through the transparent 
