LESSER FORKBEARD. 
123 
kiioRTi a couple to be cauglit in one boat. It is probable 
that it feels some influence of the seasons in its change of 
quarters, and the impulse of spawning may also govern its 
actions, as is the case with so large a proportion of other 
fishes; but its coming nearer the land cannot be altogether 
for this latter purpose, since I have known it caught in the 
middle of August, early in September, in January, and also 
in April: in the last-named instance, when two or three 
examples were taken, the roe appeared to be at the beginning 
of its enlai’gement. That the young ones are pioduced at no 
great distance from the coast appears probable, although they 
are rarely met with; but Mr. Newman found several of small 
size among sprats in Loiidon, and T learn from Ohailes H. 
Gatty, Esep, E.L.S., that he obtained a small example at 
Great Yarmouth. Nilsson classes this fish among those of 
Scandinavia, and a representation of it, with some vaiiation 
of colour from our own, is given by Fries and Ekstrom, in 
their beautiful work on the fishes ot that country. This fish 
is not wanting in voracity; for, besides that most of the 
examples which have been caught, were taken with a hook, 
fragments of an echinus and the scales of a sprat have been 
found in the stomach. A fisherman informed me that when 
drawn up with a line it shewed itself to be a wild and 
active fish. A few hours from the time of being caught, the 
smell becomes strong and peculiar, not unlike that of the 
Rocklin gs. 
This fish seldom exceeds the length of twelve inches: the 
head short, bulky, depressed, wide, rounded in front; eyes 
large, prominent, forward; nostrils still nearer the snout; under 
jaw shortest, with a short and thick barb. Teeth in both 
jaws and the roof of the mouth, sharp and incurved. A 
depression along the top of the head, separating the eyes, 
which are wide asunder. Body wide, more compressed, and 
becoming smaller towards the tail. First dorsal fin very small, 
pointed, opposite the root of the pectorals; second dorsal 
higher than the first; anal fin beginning opposite the termina- 
tion of the pectoral, and, passing along parallel with the 
second dorsal, both end nearly together a little short of the 
tail. Pectoral fin round; ventrals with about six short rays, 
and two longer; in a fish measuring ten inches the longest of 
