28 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
stems of sea-plants, its eyes large in proportion to its head, directed in pursuit of 
the soft molluscous animals upon which it preys. Through the kindness of Dr. 
Earran, I obtained a specimen from the South Coast. Of the Mugilidse, the mullets 
are among the most lively and playful of our harbour fish. The grey mullet 
Mugil capita) are in great numbers in Yentry harbour, and of large size. Every 
water seems suited to their growth—salt, brackish, and fresh—and they are easily 
fed. The atherine, or sand-smelt (Atherina presbyter) are in abundance in Dingle 
harbour, and frequent sandy inlets in the winter and spring months in great num¬ 
bers, at which seasons they are in prime state for the table. They are in Dingle 
harbour all through the year, but in spring, approach the shore to spawn. The 
next contains a great many pretty species among the Gobiodise, or the gobies. The 
spotted gunnell (Gunnellus gullata) is very numerous in Dingle harbour, and 
called the butter-fish, from the unctious feel of the body. It is every tint of rich 
brown, yellow, and purple; and the large dark spots in some specimens are very 
conspicuous along the line of the dorsal fin. Young specimens of the sea-wolf 
Anarrhecus lupus) have been taken in Dingle harbour. The black gobie—Gobius 
niger—beautiful in the spawning seasons with the deeper shades it assumes, and 
the rich orange tints of its dorsal fins, are plentiful in Dingle harbour ; and also the 
spotted, the one-spotted, and the double-spotted gobies have all been taken in 
Dingle and Yentry harbours. In Yentry harbour I met with a very beautiful 
species, presumed to be the Gobius reticulatus, peculiar to the Mediterranean, and 
distinguished by the rich rosy tints of its dorsal fins. In a calm and sunny day, in 
the month of August, and in a little sheltered inlet in Sneem harbour, I watched 
for some time the movements of multitudes of gobies. I was surprised at the 
number of black gobie, which occupied, with their young, a muddy recess between 
rocks, from which they occasionally darted, seizing and returning with their prey. 
The shanny (Pholis lsevis) was more exposed, and in sandy grounds ; they occa¬ 
sionally rose to the surface perpendicularly with the aid of the pectoral fins, and with 
the aid of the same movement appeared singularly to raise themselves, or creep up 
the face of any perpendicular rock or stone. Both these species had numerous young, 
which they seemed carefully to protect, The speckled gobies were in clear, sandy 
and sunny spots, aud the two-spotted gobies remained near the surface, perfectly 
motionless. Of the dragonets I have only met in the harbour the Sordid dragonet 
(C. dracunculus), which possesses no beauty. The family of Wrasses, orLabridas, 
vie with all others in the brilliancy and gaudiness of their colours. Of these I have 
obtained Labrus maculata, L. lineatus, and L. variegatus, and beautiful speci¬ 
mens of the three spotted wrasse L. trimaculatus, in Yalencia harbour—its 
colour most brilliant rose and reddish orange. In the sean, in Dingle harbour, 
I have taken the Comber wrasse (L. Comber), and a beautiful little wrasse marked 
with a lateral band, similar to the Rainbow wrasse, but having the abdomen reddish, 
and the head marked with wavy orange lines. The Goldsinny, or Goldfinny (Cre- 
nileebrus cornubrensis), I have taken in numbers ; it is an extremely beautiful fish. 
I am certain that others of the Crenalabri will be met with on the coast of Kerry, 
and even some that are peculiar to the Mediterranean. There is no class of fishes 
that would be more beautiful in a vivarium, nor none that could be more easily fed, 
living as they do upon Crustacea and the harder mollusca, which their jaws, armed 
with strong conical teeth, enable them to crush. The Esocidse include the garfish 
(Esox vulgare), and which, in the young state, has afforded to me some degree of 
interest in the examination, particularly with reference to the supposed existence in 
our seas of a species of Hcemiramphus. However, the numerous opportunities I 
had of examining the different stages of growth, confirmed me in the opinion that the 
Hcemiramphus Europseus was no other than the young of the garfish, and that the 
young state of Esox alone presented an undeveloped form of the upper jaw, but 
which gradually extended in growth until maturity perfected its equal development 
with the lower jaw. In July, immense numbers enter the harbours of Dingle and 
Yentry, seeking the fry of other fish, and to spawn, and they are taken in numbers 
in the sean, little cared for as food, but are eagerly bought up by the fishermen for 
bait. In October and November, the young appear. There are multitudes of others 
I shall pass over, and some, although taken in the harbours, much longer continue 
in fresh water, as the Salmonide, and which merely frequent at periods the salt water 
