THE GURNET. 299 



Description. 



CHAP. X. 



" If I be not ashamed of my soldiers I am a sou&'d gurnet. 



SHAKESPEAR. 



THE GURNARD, or GURNET. 



GURNARDS are known by the articulated 

 processes situated before the pectoral fins. These 

 are separated from each other, consist of several 

 small joints, and remain in the position in which 

 they are berK, so that they have very justly been 

 called fingers by many writers ; the fish, doubt- 

 less, use them to lay hold of their prey. The 

 head of the gurnard is large, and the tail small ; 

 the former is cased with a bony substance, which 

 serves for a helmet, and has several sharp points 

 upon the top of the head and on the sides. Se- 

 veral species, likewise, have two spines in the 

 front. These fish are carnivorous ; when touched 

 they erect the dorsal fin to defend themselves by 

 means of the spines with which it is armed ; at 

 the same time they compress their bodies, and 

 expel the water and air with a considerable noise. 



