CLASS V. PISCES: ORDER 3. TELEOSTEA. 



435 



THE FLYING GURNARD. 



THE RED GURNAUD. 



two species : tlic Common Flying Gurnard or Sea-Swallow, D. volitans, is from six to fifteen 



inches long, and is found in the Mediterranean, and 

 also in the European and American seas. The 

 D. oricntalis is found in the Indian seas. These 

 are called Fbjing-Fish, and perform nearly the 

 same feats in the air as the true ilyinir-lish, be- 

 longing to the genus Exoccetus, wliirh we shall 

 hereafter describe. 



Genus TRIGLA : Trifila. — To this belongs the 

 Red or Cuckoo Gurnard, T. cuculus, twelve to 

 sixteen inches long ; it feeds on crnstaceous animals ; spawns in May or June ; is esteemed for 



food ; taken in deep water with a trawl- 

 net ; affords excellent amusement in fish- 

 ing with hand-lines ; common in Euro- 

 pean and American waters. 



The Sapphirine Gurnard, T. hirundo, 

 is two feet long, and is common in the 

 Mediterranean and other European wa- 

 ters ; its flesh is good, though rather 

 dry ; it is caught with long lines, called 

 bulters. In England it has the popular 

 name of Tuh-Flah or Red Tub. 



Other species of Gurnard are the Piper, 

 l". bjra: Gray Gurnard, T. gurnardus, 

 and Block's Gurnard, T. Blochii: all 

 found in European waters : the Streaked 

 or Banded Gurnard, T. Ihuaia — Prio- 

 notus Ibteatus of De Kay — called Sea- 

 Robin, Gru7iter, <fec. ; common in Europe 

 and America. 



There are two or three American spe- 

 cies belonging to the genus Prionotus. 

 Among them are the Web-fingered 

 Gurnard, P. Carolinuft, twelve to four- 

 teen inches long ; found from Nantucket 

 to the Southern seas: also the Spinous 

 Gurnard, P. tribulus, eight inches long; 

 found from New York to Charleston, and 

 ^ probably exists in the intertropical seas. 

 The P. jntncfaius, twelve inches long, is 

 found in the waters of the Antilles. 



Oenns COTTUS: Co//ma-.— This in- 

 cludes the River Bull-Head or Miller's 

 Thumb, C. gobio, four or five inches 

 long; hides iu the water among loose 

 stones ; feeds on the larva) of water-insects, and 

 the ova and fry of fishes ; is very voracious, and 

 easily caught with a hook baited with red 

 worm. It is eaten in Italj', and in Russia is 

 deemed a charm against fever ; it is also used as 

 a weather-vane in the same country, it being 

 thought that if suspended by a thread its head 

 will point in the direction from which the wind will blow. Common in the European seas. 



THE SAPPHIRINE GURNARD. 



■^.j^ 



THE PIPER. 



THE RIVER BULL-HEAD. 



