PIPER. 



51 



ACANTHOPTERYGH. 



WITH HARD CHEEKS. 



THE PIPER. 



Trigla lyra, LINNAEUS. BLOCH, pt. x. pi. 350. 



,, ,, Cuv. et VALENC. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. iv. p. 55. 



,, Piper, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 374, pi. 67. 



,, ,, ,, DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 118. 



,, ,, ,, FLKM. Brit. An. p. 215, sp. 154. 



,, ,, ,, JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 341 . 



THE PIPER is at once distinguished from the other species 

 of British Gurnards, by the large size of the head, the greater 

 extent of the nasal projections, and the length and strength of 

 the opercular and scapulary spines ; the arming of the dorsal 

 crest is also more decided. This fish was described by Belon 

 and figured by Rondeletius, and is a species well known in 

 the Mediterranean Sea. On our own coast it is rare ; it was 

 however obtained by Pennant, and since his time by Mr. 

 Donovan and Mr. Couch. Pennant says the Piper is fre- 

 quently taken ; but this apparent contradiction to what is 

 stated above, is explained by an observation made by Mr. 

 Couch. " The Piper wanders about more than the others, 

 at least, of the Cornish species ; consequently it is sometimes 

 common, and at others somewhat rare." It is chiefly obtain- 



E 2 



