342 PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT. [TRIGLA: 



lated; second and third rays equal; fourth scarcely shorter: pectorals 

 very large, equalling nearly one-third of the entire length, extending 

 considerably beyond the ventrals : 



D. 916 ; A. 16; C. 11, and some short ones ; P. 14, and 3; V. 1/5 : 



dorsal ridges more strongly serrated than in the other species : lateral 

 line smooth. Number of vertebrae thirty- three. (Colours.) "The gene- 

 ral colour pale flesh-colour, rosy or darker on the back, and the belly 

 white; fins bluish at the base, and tinged with reddish towards the 

 extremities: irides fine golden yellow." DON. 



Far from common; the name of Piper being often applied to the 

 last species, which is of much more frequent occurrence in the London 

 market. Frequents the western coasts at all seasons of the year, accord- 

 ing to information communicated to Pennant. Is also occasionally taken 

 at Wey mouth. Attains a weight of nearly seven pounds. Feeds on 

 Crustacea. This and some other species have the power of uttering a 

 low grumbling sound when taken out of the water. The English name 

 of Piper is derived from this circumstance. 



14. T. Gurnardus, Linn. (Gray Gurnard.) Lateral 

 line sharply serrated : pectorals of equal length with the 

 ventrals : humeral and opercular spines long : first three 

 rays of the first dorsal granulated. 



T. Gurnardus, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p.'497. Block* Ichth. pi. 58. 

 Don. Brit. Fish. vol. n. pi. 30. Plem. Brit. An. p. 215. Gray 

 Gurnard, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 279. tab. S. 2. f. 1. Penn. Brit. 

 Zool. vol. in. p. 276. pi. 54. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. m. p. 371. pi. 65. 

 Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 48. Le Grondin gris, Guv. et Vol. Poiss. 

 torn. iv. p. 45. Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 160. 



LENGTH. From fifteen to twenty inches ; rarely two feet. 



DESCRIPT. (Form) Body more elongated, the snout longer, and the 

 profile less inclined than in most of the other species : depth at the pec- 

 torals less than one-sixth of the whole length : length of the head one- 

 fourth: cranium very slightly hollowed out between the eyes: descending 

 line of the profile nearly straight : emargination of the snout moderate ; 

 each lobe with three or four well-marked denticulations : the whole of 

 the head, as well as the shoulders, granulated : two sharp spines at the 

 anterior angle of the orbit : supra-scapular and its terminating spine 

 much as in the T. Hirundo : humeral and opercular spines strongly 

 developed, much more "so than in any of the foregoing species, except- 

 ing the T. Lyra ; the latter projecting four or five lines beyond the mem- 

 brane : spines of the first dorsal very strong, especially the first three, 

 which are rough with granulations ; the second longest, a little exceeding 

 the depth of the body beneath : pectorals and ventrals of equal length, 

 both falling short of the vent by two or three lines : 



D. 820; A. 19; C. 11, besides short ones; P. 10, and 3; V. 1/5 : 



lateral line broad, and sharply serrated ; the scales larger than those on 

 the rest of the body : scales on the dorsal ridges with little projecting 

 crests, which are crenated and rough with minute granulations, but not 

 spinous. Number of vertebrae thirty-eight. (Colours.) Above gray, 

 clouded with brown, and more or less spotted with black and yellowish 

 white: beneath silvery: lateral line forming a longitudinal whitish band: 

 sometimes the whole body red, or inclining to that colour. 



