GREAT BRITAIN. 1\ 



gated fingers, and are employed as feelers, used as a means 

 of aiding progression, or even for the purpose of drawing 

 food towards the mouth. They live for some time after 

 their removal from the sea, and on being touched erect 

 their dorsal spines and at the same time emit sounds from 

 which many local names have had their origin. They 

 have also been reputed to emit light from their heads when 

 springing out of the water, and which Lacepede likened to 

 a shooting star ; but it has been surmised that such may 

 be due to their conveying after them certain invertebrate 

 animals that have luminous properties. 



Means of capture. As gurnards generally swim near 

 the bottom they are commonly taken by the beam-trawl 

 or by hooks and lines ; a silvery slip from a sand-launce, 

 or young sprats or herrings, three or four being threaded on 

 to each hook, forming an attractive bait. Long lines, with 

 baited hooks, are used in some localities for gurnard fishing. 



Breeding. Sars has found their ova floating at sea, so 

 it appears almost certain that they may be included among 

 those forms which do not deposit it at the bottom. 



As food they have always been held in fair estimation, 

 but owing to the firmness of their flesh they are not so 

 digestible as many other forms of fishes, which are as 

 readily obtainable ; while some species, due to their small 

 size, are deemed unsuited for the table, and others are so 

 inferior as to be considered worthless in certain districts. 

 In some places the term " souced gurnard " is employed as 

 a term of contempt, as when Shakespere, in King Henry 

 IV., act 4, scene 2, makes Falstaff say, " If I be not 

 ashamed of my soldiers I am a souced gurnet." 



Geographical distribution. Coasts of Europe, being very 

 abundant in the Mediterranean. One form which extends 

 across the North Atlantic is found on the western shores of 

 North America. To the south this genus passes round the 



