GILL] LIFE HISTORIES OF TOADFISHES 405 
above; the preopercles are armed with acute spines directed down- 
wards, each having four or five, and a similar subopercular spine 
is developed; further, there are two acute spines about each 
“shoulder” and two pointed forwards from the pelvic bones; the 
scales are arranged in oblique folds reminding one of those of a 
Fic. 116.—European stargazer (Uranoscopus scaber). Original by Starks. 
Sand-launce (Ammodytes) and the spinous dorsal fin has four 
weak flexible spines ; another very striking character is the develop- 
ment of a median protrusile filament or tentacle from the intra- 
labial membrane or “ valve.” 
The common Uranoscope of the Mediterranean was in ancient 
Greece known as the Agnos, Kalliony- 
mos and Ouranoskopos (Uranos- 
copus); the first name was homo- 
noymous with an adjective meaning 
holy, sacred or chaste; the second 
(meaning a beautiful or fine name) 
was perhaps given in an antiphrastic 
sense to the first ; the third (signifying 
a looker heavenward) was suggested 
by the position and direction of the 
eyes. The great physician of old,, 
Galen, alluded to it in connection with 
a belief held by some among thé 
ancients as well as moderns. “‘ Those 
who believe that man was made erect 
so that he could easily look heaven- 
ward could never have seen the fish 
called Uranoscopus which always 
looks up to heaven in spite of itself.” 
All these names, however, long ago fell out of use and the name 
now current in Greece is Lichnos (Lichnus) or Luchnos (Lychnus). 
The dominant of the many names in use west of Greece are 
Fic. 117.— European  stargazer. 
Original by Starks. 
