VARIETIES OF GURNARDS. 105 



The Streaked Gurnard, or the Unbearded Mullet 

 (Mullus imhehris, Trujla lineata). It is a rare fish, and 

 has its pectoral fins coloured like the end of the tail of 

 a peacock. 



The Grey Gurnard, Gowdie, Hardhead (Cz6cit?»s grisens, 

 Triyla r/uniardus), Crooner, Croonack. To "croon" mean- 

 ing in Scotland to make a dull croaking noise. It is a 

 common fish in the British markets, and is caught on 

 the northern coasts of Scotland and Ireland, as well as 

 in the south and west of England. It generally lives 

 at the bottom of the sea, but often ascends to the 

 surface in fine weather in large numbers. 



Bloch's Gurnard [Trvjla hlocldi) : so called after the 

 naturalist Bloch. 



Langthorn Gurnard^ Shining Gurnard, Long-finned 

 Ca])isim (TnglaJiicerua, Triglaobscura, Triyla Jiiilan). The 

 langthorn gurnard is more slender than others of this 

 genus ; it was first discovered by Dr. Parnell, who ob- 

 tained it from the Brixham trawlers : they called it the 

 "long-finned captain," on account of the length of the 

 two or three first rays of the first dorsal fin. It scarcely 

 reaches a foot in length. 



The Little Gurnard (Triyla j^^^ciloptera). I have 

 never seen a specimen ; it is said to be taken at Wey- 

 mouth. 



The head of the gurnard is so armed with bones as 

 to remind one of the appearance of knights in armour. 

 They are also furnished with three rays at the base of 

 each pectoral fin, which help the fish, as organs of touch, 

 to find its food at the bottom. 



These three rays are used in a very peculiar manner. 

 In June, 1843, my father, the late Dean of Westminster, 

 read a paper on this subject before the Ashmolean 

 Society at Oxford, which I now quote, as it has never 



