332 



MARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



ing to note that in this stage the three lowest rays are not yet 

 separate, but are connected to the rest of the fin by membrane 

 as in other fishes. The throat-fins, or second pair of side-fins, 

 are present, but shorter and narrower than the breast-fins. This 

 stage was obtained towards the end of August. An older stage, 

 also procured in August in St. Andrews Bay, was 22 mm. long 

 (over 4 inch). It has nearly all the characters of the full grown 

 fish, but is more brilliantly coloured, and the scales and spines 

 are not fully developed. In this stage the three fingers of the 

 breast-fins on each side are separate, except at their bases, and 

 these fins themselves are shorter in proportion to the length of 

 the fish, reaching a little beyond the commencement of the 

 ventral and second dorsal. The spines at the bases of the dorsal 

 fins and along the lateral line were present in specimens 24 mm. 

 long, or very nearly i inch. 



Fig. 146. — Young of Grey Gurnard i inch long; after Prince. 



Young grey gurnards 2f, 3, 4I, and 6h inches long were 

 taken at St. Andrews in June, and 4^ to 6| inches in May. 

 There can be little doubt that these are nearly a year old. During 

 the Irish Survey young grey gurnards of the year, ^ to | inch 

 long, were taken at less than 5 fathoms in May, others under 

 2 inches were taken at depths between 5 and 45 fathoms in 

 August. It appears, therefore, that these early stages are not 

 confined to very shallow water. A large haul of the yearling 

 fish, consisting of 300 specimens, 3 to yh inches long, was taken 

 near the Arran Islands at 20 to 25 fathoms in April. 



Sise at ivJiich sexual maturity is attained. — According to the 

 observations made in the Irish Survey the smallest ripe male 

 grey gurnard was 7 inches long, the smallest ripe female g\ 

 inches. The red gurnard of both sexes were mature at 13 

 inches. Of the tub or sapphirine gurnard, males were ripe at 



