THE SAPPHIRINE GURNARD. 



41 



ACANTHOPTERYGIL 



WITH HARD CHEEKS. 



THE SAPPHIRINE GURNARD 



Trigla hirundo, Linn^us. Bloch, pt. ii. pi, 60. 



,, ,, Cuv. et Valenc. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. iv. p. 40. 



Penn. Brit. Zooi. vol. iii. p. 376, pi. 68. 



Don. Brit. Fish. pi. 1. 

 ,, leevis, Montagu, Mem. Wern. See. vol. ii. pt. 2, p. 455. 

 ,, ,, Flem. Brit. An. p. 214, sp. 148. 



The large size of the pectoral fins, and their fine blue 

 colour on the inner surface, probably suggested both the 

 specific names of this Gurnard, which is also the most 

 valuable of the British species. In addition to its being 

 equal to either of the others as food, it is not only much 

 more abundant, but attains also a larger size, occasionally 

 measuring two feet in length. That this species is the 

 Trigla leevis of Montagu, there can be but little doubt ; and 

 the words of Linnseus, " linea laterali aculeata''' are certainly 

 incorrect in reference to this fish, and induced Montagu to 



