414 Mr. W. Thompson on the identity of 



aussi distinctes, et les points de leurs pieces operculaires et 

 de leur epaule tout aussi aigues; mais les trois premieres 

 epines de leur dorsale n'ont pas, comme dans le gurnard gris, 

 les cotes granules ou chagrines : on ne voit qu'une dentelure 

 a peine perceptible sur le tranchant anterieur des deux pre- 

 mieres. Les cretes des ecailles qui garnissent leur fossette 

 dorsale sont entieres et sans crenelures, et se terminent cha- 

 cune par une simple pointe. Celles des ecailles de leur ligne 

 laterale ne sont pas non plus crdnelees comme dans les gur- 

 nards gris, mais ont deux a trois dents de scie, dont une est 

 plus saillante et plus aigue que les autres. Tout le reste est 

 parfaitement conforme de m£me dans les deux especes." — 

 Article T. Cuculus, tome iv. p. 68. 



T. Cuculus. 



No. 1. =2^ inches long. Colour red, " with a conspicuous black 

 spot on the upper part of the first dorsal," extending from the 3rd 

 to the 5th ray. A few denticles on the 1st D. ray only; all the 

 scales on the D. ridge entire, each being a sharp spine directed back- 

 wards ; scales of the lateral line not crenated, but consisting of a 

 series of hooked spines similarly directed. 



Nos. 2. and 3.* = 3 and 3£ inches long. Colour red, a conspicu- 

 ous black spot from 3rd to 5th ray of 1st D. fin. Scales of D. ridge 

 and lateral line as in No. 1 ; no denticles on D. rays in No. 2 ; the 

 rays in No. 3. imperfect. 



Intermediate between T. Cuculus and T. Gurnardus. 



No. 4. = 7 inches long. Colour dark grey, black spot of 1st D. 

 fin very conspicuous. Two anterior scales of D. ridge slightly den- 

 ticulated, the remainder simple ; scales occupying the anterior part 

 of lateral line for about an inch in extent, crenated ; remainder as 

 in Nos. 1. — 3.: first D. ray denticulated, and to a greater extent 

 than in No. 1 . 



No. 5. as 9 inches long. Male, colour greyish-red, a conspicuous 

 black spot on 1st D. fin. The few anterior scales only of the D. ridge 

 slightly denticulated ; anterior portion of every scale on the lateral 

 line crenated, but each terminating in a hooked spine : 1st and 2nd 

 D. rays denticulated, points on the 1st increasing in number f. 



* The specimens described as T. Cuculus in the ' Annals,' vol. i. 348. 



f Since this was procured, Dr. Parnell has favoured me with a specimen 

 of similar size, and which, being in the transition state, admirably shows 

 the characters of both species. 



