46 \VITH HARD CHEEKS. 



This species seldom exceeds twelve or thirteen inches in 

 length, and was first described by Brunnich under the name 

 of Adriatica. It is found at the Canaries, Teneriffe, the 

 Mediterranean, on our southern and occasionally on our 

 eastern coast, but in the last two places not in great numbers. 

 Like the Gurnards generally, this species feeds principally on 

 crustaceous animals, and is usually taken with the trawling- 

 net. The formula of the fin-rays is as follows : 



D. 10 16 : P. 10 3 : V. 1 + 5 : A. 13 : C. 11. 



The head is short, the upper jaw but little produced ; the 

 occipital, opercular, and humeral spines short and broad ; eye 

 rather small compared with those of other species, irides 

 yellow, pupils dark blue ; orbital spines two or three ; the 

 scales forming the lateral line elevated, carinated, and notched; 

 the body crossed by as many lines as there are scales on the 

 lateral line, with two rows of ordinary, square, ciliated scales 

 to each line ; the general colour of the body and fins a fine 

 rich red ; the fins spotted and sometimes edged with a darker 

 colour ; the belly white ; the pectorals long, tipped with blue, 

 and with four rows of large darkish blue spots, so arranged as 

 to appear like continuous bands when the fins are closed. 

 The swimming-bladder is a single oval chamber, with strong 

 lateral muscles of contraction. 



