SAPPHIRINE GURNARD. 



ACANTHOPTERYG11. 



WITH HARD CHEEKS. 



THE SAPPHIRINE GURNARD. 



Trigla hinindo, LINN/EUS. BLOCK, pt. ii. pi. 60. 



,, ,, Cuv. et VALENC. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. iv. p. 40. 



., PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 376, pi. 68. 



DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 1. 



,, Itevis, MONTAGU, Mem. Wern. Soc. vol. ii. pt. 2, p. 455. 

 ,, ,, FLEM. Brit. An. p. 214, sp. 148. 



,, hirundo, JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 340. 



THE large size of the pectoral fins, and their fine blue 

 colour on the inner surface, probably suggested both the 

 specific names of this Gurnard, which is also the most valu- 

 able of the British species. In addition to its being equal to 

 either of the others as food, it is not only much more abun- 

 dant, but attains also a larger size, occasionally measuring 

 two feet in length. That this species is the Trigla lavis of 

 Montagu, there can be but little doubt ; and the words of 

 Linnseus, " linea laterali aculeate?' are certainly incorrect in 

 reference to this fish, and induced Montagu to consider his 

 Trigla lavis as distinct. Pennant, Mr. Donovan, and Dr. 

 Fleming, following Linnaeus, have each described this species 

 as having a rough lateral line. Cuvier and Valenciennes, in 



