LITTLE GURNARD. 37 



about four inches, the present specimen agrees in many respects, 

 but chiefly differs in the profile being less vertical, in the 

 anterior lobes of the snout, and in the negative character of 

 wanting a deep transverse hollow behind the posterior orbital 

 spine; nor with the highest power of a lens can any of the 

 anterior dorsal spines be distinguished as toothed, nor the first 

 and second rays of the dorsal fin as serrated, both of which 

 characters are attributed to T. aspera. 



Since the above was written I have had an opportunity of 

 comparing the Trigla here treated of with two specimens of 

 T. aspera, one three inches and a half, the other four and a 

 half long, which are part of a collection of fishes sent from 

 Corfu by Robert Templeton, Esq. This comparison served 

 strongly to confirm everything above stated. The T. pceciloptera 

 had previously been obtained only at Dieppe, where it was 

 discovered by M. Valenciennes." William Thompson, Esq., of 

 Weymouth, informs me that this fish is also taken in the 

 trawls at that town, and sometimes in considerable numbers. 



Examples nearly answering to the foregoing account have 

 also come under my notice at Falmouth and from the Bristol 

 Channel, from the latter of which the following description is 

 derived: — The example scarcely exceeded an inch in length; 

 the head large; eyes elevated; top of the head rather flattened; 

 in the middle of the ascent from the snout to the eye are 

 spines, bent upward; separate tubercles near the snout; short 

 spines in front of and above the eye. Towards the neck at 

 the middle a pair, not close together; another pair behind 

 them, even with the first ray of the first dorsal; and again on 

 a line with the eye, just above the pectorals, a shape spine: 

 another on the posterior gill-cover. A blunter pair on the 

 angle of the jaw, a little before the ventral fins. A long 

 prominent line of sharp points borders the dorsal fins. First 

 dorsal high, close behind the head; second dorsal but little 

 separate from the first. The colour of this example, preserved 

 in spirits, was a dull green. 



