l64 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1704. 



along the sides, as also on each side of the back fins were placed the like spiny 

 ridges or scales. But the belly seemed almost smooth, and had but few scales, 

 and those very fine; and indeed those on the back were much smaller than those 

 in most other fishes. If Mr. Leuwenhoeck's observations be true, that even 

 the anguillous kind are scaly, then the difference will not be so great, the one 

 having membranulous scales, the other bony. Or it may be our subject is an 

 intermediate species between the gurnard kind and some other. 



And this I am the more apt to believe, because, though it has gills on each 

 side, yet k had not those apertures at the sides of the head that the red gurnard 

 had, and is common to most fishes, except the cetaceous kind; but, like them, 

 the yellow gurnard had two large apertures on the hinder part of the head, an 

 inch beyond the eyes, at which it spouts out the water. By blowing into these 

 holes I extended the cavities where the gills lay, and observed that over these 

 cavities were placed a flat bone, which by the contraction of its muscles might 

 serve to force the water out, and perhaps is assisted in this action by another 

 loose bone that lies over it, whose edges are jagged or indented. At which place 

 in the red gurnard I observed a strong sharp spine. 



These foramina in the head of this fish is a thing so very remarkable, that it 

 may be considered as a characteristic; nor do I know at present what other fish 

 to parallel it with ; for the cetaceous kind that have spouts in their heads, have 

 not bronchiae, but lungs. The better therefore to distinguish this fish, I have 

 added this particular to its name. 



But to conclude, I observed the eyes in the yellow gurnard were placed more 

 on the top of the head, and the skin here covered almost half of them, like 

 an eye-lid, which I did not observe in the red gurnard, whose eyes were placed 

 more at the sides of the head. The head likewise of the red gurnard was more 

 protuberant, in the yellow flatter. The end of the rostrum, also the teeth and 

 tongue in both, were exactly alike, only in the palate of the yellow gurnard I 

 observed two cartilaginous bones, whose edges were bent downwards from the 

 palate, and served, I suppose, for the hooking in and staying the cartilage of 

 the tongue, when it makes a compression for the forcing out the water by the 

 foramina of the head ; which contrivance I did not find in the red gurnard, not 

 having the like occasion for them. This fish being stale, I had not an oppor- 

 tunity of dissecting it, and observing the viscera ; and shall only further add, 

 that the gills had four osseous radii on each side. 



A Question proposed for Solution to Medical Men. By fVm. Cockburny M. D, 



F.R.S. N°293, p. 1753. 

 The question here proposed is, what is the rule or method to be followed in 



