FISHES 125 



Gurnard is at home not only in the water and air but is 

 able to trot easily about on solid earth bottom. In fact 

 the latter mode of progression seems to be its favourite. 

 I have seen Gurnards rise and scale away from the back 

 of a vessel and I have had a school of half-grown ones 

 slap against the side of a rowing boat. In the young 

 fish the fins are too short for flight, but even a specimen 

 two inches in length will leap out and spread its diminutive 

 wings, only to flop back at once. At best they are less 

 skilful aviators than the true Flying Fish. Gurnards have 

 great muscle velocity and one of these fish has been known 

 to knock a sailor senseless by a head-on blow between the 

 eyes as the man stood at the wheel of a schooner." The 

 latter accident is less surprising than it would at first 

 appear if we bear in mind that the large conical head of 

 a Gurnard is cuirassed with heavy plates. 



The Sapphirine Gurnard (Trig/a birundo), which is 

 common off our coast, is the largest member of its family, 

 attaining a length of two feet and a weight of 4 lbs. The 

 brilliant blue and green tints of its very large wing-shaped 

 pectoral fins resemble the wings of certain dazzling tropical 

 butterflies. 



In the carnivorous Dragon or Lion Fish {Vterois volitans) 

 of East African and Asiatic coasts the pectorals are enor- 

 mous and likewise wing-shaped. 



The function of the pelvic fins is connected with the 

 maintenance of the fish's equilibrium and may be compared 

 to the centre board of a yacht. The pelvic fins in some 

 cases form sucking discs which enable the fish to adhere 

 to the rocks and stones. 



In the Gobies (Gobioidea) of our own rocks and pools 



