GURNARDS. 



89 



bone of the shoulder. Besides which, the whole 

 surface of the head is roughened, like a rasp, with 

 minute knobs running in various fantastic lines 

 and curves. 



The ground colour of the upper parts is a 

 dull olive ; that of the under parts silvery white, 

 the whole tinged with pale red ; this latter hue is 

 also distributed about in irregular mottlings, 

 especially along the sides, on the mouth and chin, 

 and on the finger-like pectoral rays. The eyes 

 are large, and golden-yellow. This species at- 

 tains the length of two feet or more. 



The scales are very minute, more or less 



SCALE OF SAPPHIRINE GURNARD {magnified). 

 «, Natural size. 



angular in their outline, free from prickles : the 

 concentric lines {stricB) are fine, close-set and 

 numerous, and are interrupted by lines of clear 



