GEN. PERTSTEDION. MAILED GURNARD. 151 



ropean seas, the Mailed Gurnard of British authors. 

 (PL IV.) A specimen ^yas caught near Plymouth by 

 Dr. Edward Moore in the autumn of 1836, and was 

 by him introduced into our catalogue. Its average 

 size is about two feet ; Dr. M.'s specimen measured 

 about eleven inches. The body is octagonal, covered 

 with a coat-of-mail, formed of bony scales laid over 

 each other, from w^hose centre sharp-pointed pro- 

 cesses proceed backwards, forming, in continuous 

 lines, the eight angles of the body. Five or six of 

 the rays of the first dorsal end in long flexible fila- 

 ments, an ornament which is stated by some to 

 belong only to the males. Its colour is of a uniform 

 scarlet, gradually softening to pale flesh-colour to- 

 wards the abdomen ; the dorsal and anal fins are 

 crimson, the others greyish. M. Eisso informs us 

 that it frequents deep water, over rocky ground, 

 approaching the shore to spawn. It swims rapidly, 

 is said to be solitary in its habits, and feeds upon 

 the Medusa3 and Crustacea. Though rare on our 

 shores, it is common on the coasts of Spain and 

 Provence, w^iere it is fished all the year, and much 

 used as an article of food. 



Gen. X. CoTTUs. — The next genus of this family 

 we find as British is the genus Cottus, distinguished 

 by having the head roundish or depressed, having 

 small teeth in the maxillaries and vomer, and the 

 body without scales : the two dorsal fins are dis- 

 tinct, or very slightly connected. Of the four Bri- 

 tish species, one is fresh-water, and three are salt- 

 water fishes. 



