434 



THE GRAY GURNARD, AND RED GURNARD. 



OF THE GURNARDS IN GENERAL. 



TnsSE are carnivorous and predatory fish. They inhabit not only 

 the North Sea and the Baltic, but are also found in the Mediterranenn, 

 and in various parts of the ocean. "When taken alive out of the 

 water, they erect their sharp dorsal fin. an<l attempt to inflict a \voun<] 

 by means of their spines. These are their weapons of defence against 

 tneir enemies of the ocean. When taken up they compress their 

 bodies, and, in expelling the air through their gills they make a sin- 

 Ejular kind of noise: hence the French have given to them the 

 sppellatiou of Grondais, or grumblers. 





BED GURNARD. 



THE GRAY GURNARD, AND RED GURNARD. 



About the months of INIay and June the Gray Gurnards approacli 

 the seashores in considerable 'shoals, for the juirpose of depositing their 

 s])a\vn upon the shallows. Tiiey are occasionally found on most of the 

 sliores of Great Britain and Ireland. 



They chiefly reside in the depths of the ocean, whore thoy liave a plen- 

 tiful supply of food, in Crabs, Lobsters, and Shell-fish, on which it is 

 su]i]iosed thev, for the most part feed. 



Whilst it is in the water, the colors of the Ttcd Gurnard are, almost 

 heyond conception, brilliant and beautiful, particularly in the broad 

 txlare of sunshine, as they then vary, in the most pleasing manner, with 

 every motion of the fish. 



There are few of the residents of the ocean so voracious as this ; for 

 it devours, with eagerness, almost every thing eatable that comos in 

 its way. 



