(380 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The red-winged sea robin is distinguished from the striped 

 sea robin by the following characters: pectoral with its rays 

 each crossed by fine black bars, these specially distinct toward 

 the base of the fin; free rays spotted; scales comparatively 

 small, 10+1+23 in a vertical line from last dorsal spine to vent; 

 interorbital area broad and almost flat, its width a little more 

 than length of eye; first dorsal spine granulated; second spine 

 four elevenths length of head; pectorals about one half as long 



as body. 



In the striped sea robin the pectoral rays are all plain black- 

 ish; free rays plain dusky; scales 8+1+21 in a vertical line from 

 last dorsal spine to vent; interorbital space more deeply con- 

 cave, its width in adult not quite length of eye; first dorsal 

 spine nearly smooth; second spine one third length of head; 

 pectorals a little more than one half as long as body. 



This fish is found on our Atlantic coast from Cape God to 



Virginia. It is very common in shallow water and is extremely 



close toPrionotus evolans,of which it may be a geo- 



gi'aphic variety. Drs Jordan and Evermann have not however 



seen examples intermediate between the striped sea robin and 



the red-winged species. This fish is the P r i o n o t u s 1 i n e - 



a t u s of De Kay.^ De Kay distinguishes this fish, which he 



rails the banded gurnard, by the broad,* reddish brown line along 



the sides below the lateral line, as well as by other characters. ; 



He says it is not uncommon and is known under the various 



popular names, grunter, gurnard, sea robin and flying fish. He 



states that the banded gurnard is seldom eaten as food. This 



is also the gurnard or sea robin, T r i g 1 a 1 i n e a t a , of 



Milchill ill the Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y. I, 430, pi. 4, fig. 4. 



181'). 



The led winded sea roliiii comes into Gravesend bay in May, 

 but Inlcr lliaii Ww couimon species. It was found more abun- 

 dantly ill (in at Sontli hay than the mistriped species. Indi- 

 viduals wi-ri' laktii in lliuc roiui cove, and at Fire Island, late 

 iu t>fpt(UilM'r. This tish grows larger than the other species 



I v,.,L York Faunn, Fishes. 1842. p. 45, pi; 4, flg. 12. 



