FAMILY TRIGLID^. 45 



GENUS PRIONOTUS. Cuvier. 



Pectorals very large, and with numerous rays. A belt of velvet-like teeth on the palatines. 



Obs. This is strictly an American genus, with many of its characters in common with 

 Trigla. Thus, the head is square, and covered with bony plates ; body elongated, rounded ; 

 two dorsal fins ; teeth in the jaws, and in front of the vomer ; gill openings ample ; three 

 free fleshy processes at the base of each pectoral fin. 



THE BANDED GURNARD. 



PrIONOTUS LINEATUS. 



PLATE IV. FIG. 12. —(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Trigla Imeata, Gvmard or Sea Robin. MiT. Lit. and Phil. Vol. I, p. 430, pi. 4, fig. 4. 



ie Prionote striee, P. strigatus. Cav. et Val. Hist. Poiss. Vol. 4, p. 86. 



The Sea Robin, Gurnard, Grunter, Prionotus id. Storer, Mass. Report, p. 12. 



Characteristics. A broad reddish brown line along the sides, below the lateral line. Length 

 12-18 inches. 



Description. Head large, broader than the body, and composed of seven distinct bony 

 plates ; the first, which is roughened, covers the whole anterior and superior part of the head, 

 and terminates behind in two robust spines. The anterior lobes of the snout obtuse, scarcely 

 emarginate. Small spines over the eyes, at their anterior and posterior angles. A strong 

 spine at the base of the preopercle, continued from a serrated bony carina. Opercle trian- 

 gular, with two spines at its posterior extremity ; the superior directed upwards ; the inferior 

 largest, and directed backwards : the surface of the opercle with radiating granulations. Eyes 

 large, near the facial outline. Nostrils small, intermediate between the eyes and snout. Upper 

 jaw projecting ; both armed with numerous small teeth ; those on the palatine arranged in a 

 narrow belt or band. Humeral bone with a ridge, and terminating in a naked spine. Lateral 

 line curves downwards from the upper part of the gill openings. Scales small. Three long 

 fleshy processes arise under the base of the pectorals, the longest of which is nearly half the 

 length of those fins. 



The first dorsal fin is placed in a groove, and arises rather behind the branchial aperture ; 

 it is composed of nine stout rays : the first serrated along its whole length ; the two follow- 

 ing partially serrated ; the third and fourth rays longest ; the last very small. The second 

 dorsal fin arises a short distance behind the first, and is composed of twelve subequal rays. 

 The pectoral fins, which are so large as to form one of the generic characters, extend to the 

 middle of the second dorsal : it is very broad, obtusely pointed, and, exclusive of the fleshy 

 processes which are by some authors considered as forming a portion of this fin, it comprises 

 thirteen rays. Ventral fins placed beneath the pectorals, with one short spinous and five soft 



