105 
THREE-BEARDED ROCKLING. 
WHISTLER. WHISTLE-FISH. 
Mustela vulgaris, Whistle-fish, Willoughby; p. 121, Table H. 2. 
Gade mustelle, 
Oadus tricirratus. 
Lacepebe. E:s.so. Bloch; pi. 165. 
Dosovah; pi. 2. 
Flemikg; Britiah Animals, p. 193. 
Jejjths; Manna], p. 449. 
Motella tricirrata, 
“ vulgaris. 
(t 
Until of late writers on natural history have regarded this 
fish and that Yvhich possesses four barbs on its snout, and 
eonsequently five in all, as only varieties of the same species; 
and they may stand excused for so doing, in the consideration 
that the examples of each, when of smaller size, and keeping 
closer to the lower tide-mark, as the Five-bearded Eockling 
generally does, are found to resemble each other closely, except 
in the particular that the last-named is furnished with a 
diflferent number of barbs. But recent observation shews that 
these two fishes are naturally distinct, as well in their habits 
and distribution as in the obvious particular of a variety in 
the number of the processes or barbs. 
The Three-bearded . Eockling is often found where sea-weeds 
cover oozy ground, and there it hides itself under the shelter 
of a stone when the tide has retired. Under these circumstances 
the specimens are distinguished by uniformity of colour; the 
back and sides being chesnut brown, which is softened into 
yellow on the under parts. But those examples which are met 
with at perhaps the depth of ten or twenty fathoms are of 
much larger size, and their colour shews considerable difference; 
the ground of it being pale or reddish yellow, studded with 
spots of deep brown of the same tint as that which covers the 
body of the smaller individuals near the shore. And that 
to even a greater depth than that we have mentioned 
VOL. Ill, p 
