306 AMERICAN FISHES. 



hugely by their voracity. They play well on the hook, and a large one 

 tugging at a rod is often supposed to be a game fish and a prize, till the 

 ugly Sea-robin, with his spiky helmet, shows himself at the surface. 



" The Gurnards of our coasts do not reach a large size, at least we have 

 but rarely seen any that weighed over a pound, while in Europe some of 

 the species, such as the Tub-fish, Trigla hirundo, have been found weigh- 

 ing eleven pounds, and those of seven or eight are common. The Red 

 Gurnard, or Rochet, T. cuculus, and the Piper, T. lyra, reach three or 

 four pounds, averaging about two, while the other European kinds 

 resembles ours as to size. 



" Small as our species are, they are not the less delicate when cooked, 

 and we have often verified this fact. They are sold in England by the 

 number, and not by weight, for their large heads are inedible, while they 

 add, perhaps, one-quarter to their weight. The English fishermen take 

 them almost everywhere along the coast in large trawl-nets, constructed 

 for their capture, though other bottom fish may find their way into the 

 net. These trawls are generally twelve or sixteen feet wide at the mouth, 

 while a bag proportioned to their beam, which has one or two labyrinths 

 like a fyke-net inside. The Trawl is managed from a large sail-boat, with 

 a block and tackle, and is hauled in water as deep as eight or ten 

 fathoms. We do not recommend this special fishery to our coast fisher- 

 men, as our Gurnards are small, but wish only to call attention to the 

 edible qualities of this generally despised fish. 



" Piscator (the anonymous auther of the 'Practical Angler), in his 

 excellent little treatise entitled ' Fish ; How to Choose and How to Dress,' 

 published in 1S43, says of the Gurnard that their flesh is 'white, excellent, 

 exceedingly firm, and shells out into snowy flakes, and is of a remarkably 

 agreeable flavor,' and that ' they keep well.' He recommends them to be 

 boiled — that is the large ones; while the small ones may be split and fried. 



Having drawn attention to this first as one that deserves a place on our 

 tables, we leave his fate hereafter to the tender care of a good cook and 

 a discerning palate. 



Another member of this family is the Peristedium miniatum, a brilliant 

 red species recently discovered by the Fish Commission in the deep waters 

 on the coast of Southern New England. 



