THE MxUL-CUEEKEB GROUP OF FISHES. 279 



some very interesting subjects for notice, including a con- 

 siderable number of species, all characterized by sharp 

 projecting cheeks, and heads cased in armor of bony plates, 

 among which we may mention the Flying Gurnard, the Sea- 

 Scorpion, and the Father-Lasher. 



The name " gurnard*' is derived from the growling, grunt 

 ing noise which these fishes make, by means of the throat 

 and gills, when taken out of the water, and which has 

 obtained for one species the name of " piper." The Romans 

 used to call the latter " lyres," rather, perhaps, on account 

 of their fancied resemblance to an ancient lyre, than to 

 the very unmusical sound they emit. Many of the gurnards 

 are distinguished by beauty of color. 



The New Zealand G-urnard, about eighteen inches in 

 length, is a splendid fish : the upper part is brownish-red, 

 the fins are very large and of an emerald green, broadly 

 bordered with azure blue, and having an oval patch of vel- 

 vety black beautifully relieved with snow-white spots. 



The Sea-Scorpion differs from its land namesake, the 

 possessor of one solitary but dangerous tail-sting, the head 

 of the fish being surrounded with goads and prickles, which 

 render it a formidable enemy to contend with, by swelling 

 out its cheeks and gill-covers to a large size, realizing Ovid's 

 description of it, — 



" Scorpoena's poison'd head, beset with spines;" 



excepting that the stings, beyond inflicting a sharp pain, 

 are not venomous. Some of these animals are remarkable 

 for their ugliness, and others exhibit very fine colors. They 

 abound in the warm seas, and are often taken on the Atlan- 

 tic shores, sometimes exceeding a foot in length. 



The Marine Sticklebacks, which are thus named from the 

 spines Avhich arm their back, ventral fins, and other parts^ 

 are inhabitants of the seas in cold and temperate regions, 

 and are curious little animals, a kind of Liliputian warriors 



