CLASS PISCES.
89
Family COTTIDAE, Linn.
Genus Cottus, Linn.
Cottus gobio, Linn. Miller's Thumb.
This occurs plentifully in all our streams, preferring those
with a gravelly bottom.
Cottus groenlandicus, Cuv. Greenland Bull-head.
(Locally, Bull-rout.)
Mr. J. T. Carrington records (Zool., 1880, p. 147) the
capture in white-bait nets of several specimens of this fish in
the Thames. The identification was confirmed by Dr. Day.
I have seen several examples which had been taken on our
coast, and have caught them myself in all our estuaries, but
have never seen any approaching the size they are said to
attain in Greenland.
Cottus scorpius, Linn. Father Lasher.
This is a very common fish all round the coast. It takes
a bait greedily.
Cottus bubalis, Bloch. Bubalis.
Also very common. Both this and the last-named species
are frequently caught by persons fishing from piers, even in
rather shallow water; and they are constantly captured in
shrimp and other trawls. The local name for all three species
is " Bull-rout."
Cottus quadricornis, Linn. Four-horned Cottus.
This is very rare, but Leonard Jenyns says (British Verte-
brate Animals, Cambridge, 1835, p. 346) some specimens in
the British Museum were found among sprats taken at the
mouth of the Thames.