70 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



As food it is not much esteemed. 



Habitat. Common on the south and west coasts of 

 England, but more rare towards the north and in Scotland. 

 It has been taken on the south-west coast of Ireland. 



There are also two other but rare British forms of sea- 

 breams, but which cannot be deemed commercial as they 

 are but seldom found in the fish markets. They are 

 Owen's sea-bream, Pagellus Owenii, and another smaller 

 form, P. acarna. 



FAMILY IV. BULL-HEADS (Cottida). 



Geographical distribution. Arctic regions of Europe, 

 Asia, and America, also the North Atlantic Ocean of both 

 hemispheres, descending into temperate zones. Found 

 both in the fresh and salt water. 



There are two marine species of Coitus, the C. scorpius 

 and C. bubalis^ofa exceedingly useful as food for larger 

 forms, but otherwise of no commercial importance. 



The second genus of this family are the gurnards or 

 Triglas. Their common English name is derived from an 

 ancient British word signifying a firm or rugged structure, 

 and as such considered applicable to their heads. Many 

 species are able to produce sounds beneath the water, or 

 on their being removed from their native element. From 

 this has originated their Italian name organo, and their 

 French designation grondin. The Romans termed them 

 lyres, either due to the sounds they made, or because they 

 bore a fanciful resemblance to the ancient " lyre." 



Habits. Gurnards are rather voracious, and mostly swim 

 near the bottom of the sea, where they feed upon Crustacea, 

 small fishes, and other prey. The free filaments belong- 

 ing to their breast-fins have a certain similarity to elon- 



