64 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Means of capture. They readily take a bait and are generally secured in deep 

 water. Pennant observes that they will bite at a piece of red rag. Thompson, 

 that they are mostly captnred in Ireland during the summer and autumn ; the 

 baits employed usually being " sand eels," young herrings, fat of meat, or a slice 

 of one of their own kind. Low observes that they are taken by sailors as they 

 approach the Orkneys by hanging over the stern of their vessel during a brisk 

 breeze a hook and baited line, which this fish, being a quick swimmer, takes. 

 When they are hauled on board they make a sort of croaking plaintive noise 

 something like an angry person growling to himself, and this lasts for some time. 



Breeding. Probably twice a year, in January and December, also in June and 

 July. The roe is deposited at some distance from the shore, and Sars has 

 observed that the eggs float.* 



As food. Said to be good, and with firm flesh but very inferior to the red 

 gurnard, partly from their lesser size : off Banffshire, Edward observes, they are 

 not much esteemed. Thompson likewise remarks that in Ireland they are not in 

 much favour for the table with those who can afford a choice, consequently they 

 form a cheap food for the poor. 



Habitat. Baltic and west coast of Europe from Norway southwards, 

 also the Mediterranean and Adriatic. 



It is an abundant British species extending northwards to the Orkneys 

 and Shetland Isles. It is very common on the west coast of Scotland and 

 frequently taken in the Moray Frith. 



It is numerous all round Ireland, and Thompson observes that along the 

 northern coast they are frequently seen in vast shoals on the surface during the 

 summer season and are captured in great numbers. Wherever the red gurnard is 

 found, there the gray form is also common. In the month of June it is said to 

 appear in Donegal Bay in enormous shoals when it is eagerly sought for, some 

 eaten fresh, the remainder salted and laid up in store. 



It attains to 2 feet in length according to Pennant. 



5. Trigla lyra, Plate XXVI. 



Lyra, Rondel, x, c. 9, p. 298, c. fig.; Gesner, iv, p. 516; Aldrov. ii, c. 7, p. 

 146; Willughby, iv, pp. 282, 283, t. S. 1, f. 4, and S. 2, f . 2 ; Ray, p. 89 ; Duham. 

 Peches, sect, v, t. viii, f. 1 ; Salv. p. 190, f . 70 ; Jonston, De Pise. lib. i, t. hi, c. 1, 

 art. 2, p. 65, t. xvii, f. 10. Trigla, Artedi, sp. 9, Genera, p. 46, syn. 74. Piper, 

 Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1) iii, p. 279, pi. Iv (Ed. 2) iii, p. 374, pi. lxvii. 



Trigla lyra, Linn. Sys. i, p. 496 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1342 ; Lacep. iii, p. 345 ; 

 Bonn. Ency. Ich. p. 145, pi. be, f. 235; Bloch, t. cccl ; Bl. Schn. p. 14; 

 Turton, Brit. Faun. p. 102 ; Donovan, Brit. Fish, v, pi. cxviii ; Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 

 620 ; Risso, Ich. Nice. p. 203, and Hist. Nat. iii, p. 393 ; Cuv. and Val. iv, p. 55 ; 

 Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 215 ; Bonap. Fauna Ital. Pesci, iii, p. 32, c. fig. ; Scouler, 

 Mag. Nat. Hist, vi, 1833, p. 529; Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, (Ed. 1) i, p. 44, c. fig. 

 (Ed. 2) i, p. 51, (Ed. 3) ii, p. 26; Jenyns, Brit. Vert. p. 341; Swainson, 

 ii, p. 262 ; Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 74 ; Guichen. Explor. Alger. 

 Poiss. p. 39 ; White, Catal. Brit. Fish. p. 4 ; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 208 ; Steind. 

 Ich. Span. u. Port. 1867, p. 85. 



Piper, Couch, Fishes Brit. Isles, ii, p. 23, pi. lxvi. 



B. vii, D. 9-10/16-17, P. 10 + iii, V. 1/5, A. 16, C. 12. Ccec. pyl. 6, Vert. 

 13/20. 



Length of head 3| to 3f , of caudal fin 5 to 6, height of body 4| to 5J in the 

 total length. Eye-' 1 to If diameters in the postorbital portion of the head, 2 

 diameters from the end of the snout in adults, \ to 1 diameter apart. Anterior 

 portion of the body very much broader than the posterior. Interorbital space 

 slightly concave. Upper profile, from eye to snout abrupt and concave. Bones 

 of the head with rough stellated ridges. A spine at the anterior-superior angle 

 of the orbit. A roughened ridge ci'osses the preopercle and ends at its angle 



* Ann. and May, Nat. Hist. 1868 (4), i, p. 390. 



