23 



PIPER. 



Trigla lyra, Joxston. Wllloughuy; p. 282, Tab. 



S. 2, f. 2. 



" " LiXX.EUS. Cir\lER. 



" " Lacepebe. Risso. Dokovan ; pi. 118. 



" " Fleming ; British Animals, p. 215. 



" " Jenyns ; Manual, p. 341. 



" " Yakrell; British Fishes, vol. i, p. 61. 



" " GuxTHER; Catalogue British Museum, 



vol. ii, p. 208. 



Several of the fishes of this genus are known to utter 

 obscure grunting sounds when newly taken out of the water, 

 and they continue them at intervals as long as they are alive. 

 This circumstance has given occasion to a familiar name for 

 most of them in some foreign languages, and is probably the 

 origin of the common English name of this species; but it is 

 also said to have obtained its scientific denomination of lyra 

 from its shape, as if it approached more nearly than others to 

 the ancient form of that musical instrument. 



The Piper is little known in the north of England, and is 

 not numbered among the fishes of the north of Scotland. It 

 occurs in Ireland, but according to Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, 

 with some uncertainty, except in the south and west parts. 

 The Earl of Enniskillen informs me he has never seen it in 

 the north. It is far from rare, however, on the coasts of 

 the west counties of England, except in the winter, when 

 it appears to seek shelter in the deeper water, or perhaps by 

 migrating further to the south. It seems to be more abundant 

 in the Mediterranean than in Britain. In its general habits, 

 (the time of breeding and food,) it resembles the Tubfish, but 

 is in rather greater estimation for the table. 



The head and beginning of the back is much elevated, 

 and the body tapers considerably towards the tail. An example 



