SAPPHIRINE GUllNARD. 73 



belly, grey, of various shades, very faintly tinged with pale red, and 

 varied with a few small roundish black spots ; lower portion of sides 

 bright rose red ; under parts white, intermixed with red towards the tail. 

 D., P., and C. fins marbled with red and very dark grey ; V. white at base, 

 but gradually changing to red, the extremity having a rich tinge of this 

 colour. Anal fin all red, 3 free — P. coral red, for an inch from tip. P. 

 fins pass the anal one inch. 



Yarrell (Brit. Fish., p. 46) notices this species as being found " on our 

 southern, and occasionally on our eastern, coasts." In addition to the 

 above Irish localities, it may be stated that, in October, 1844, I saw in a 

 fishmonger's shop, in Glasgow, a T. liiieata. which had been taken at 

 Ap-. Jenyns (p. 340) says : — " Found as far North as Scotland." Par- 

 nell (p. 15) remarks that it has nut been met with in Scotland. 



The Sapphirine Gurnard, Tngla llimndo, Bloch, 



Is procured around the coast. 



This gurnard is brought to Belfast market chiefly in the Spring and 

 Autumn. It is said to be in best condition during the months of May 

 and June, and to spawn in November. It is most usually called the Red 

 Gurnard, in common with the two species already treated of; but. when 

 of a greyish colour, it is named the Grei/ Gurnard, and is the only fish 

 known by that designation in Belfast market, where the 2\ Guniardns is 

 always called the Knond. 



At Youghal, the Sapphirine Gurnards are. according to my friend, Dr. 

 Ball, distinguished by the name of " Tubs," which, ^Ir. Yarrell says, is 

 applied to the gurnards in the South of England. — Brit. Fish., p. 48. 

 ('2nd Ed.) 



In October, 1848, I received a Sordid Dragonet [CaUionijmus Dracun- 

 culiis) which was taken out of the stomach of a Sapphirine Gurnard. 



The most usual mode of capture of the latter fish is in trawl-nets upon 

 sandy bottoms, where flat-fish are usually taken. I have not, however, 

 seen more than a dozen brought to Belfast market in a morning, although 

 it ranks second in numbers among the gurnards on the north-east coast, 

 and is the common gurnard of this market. The usual ])rice is from Is. to 

 1*. 6d. ; 2s. 6f/. being given for very large ones. No distinction is made in 

 this respect between the three Bed Gurnards. 



This species not uncommonly attains to two feet in length here, and has 

 been taken of 14 lbs. weight. 



Although I was correct in noticing this fish as an addition to the Irish 

 Fauna in the Zool. Proc. for 183o (]). 79), the subsequent jjublication of 

 Mr. Templeton's catalogue showed that it had been known to him. I 

 have seen this s])ecies in Autumn taken in salmon-nets in Ballantrae, 

 Ayrshire ; and have observed others on a different part of the coast of this 

 County. 



A specimen in the Belfast Museum is 21 inches in length ; D. 9, 16 ; P. 

 10 or 11 ; V. 1-5; A. 15; C. 16 wcll-develo])ed rays. Pectoral fin, 5{ 

 inches from base to extremity ; 5 inches in diameter, when ex])andcd ; 3 

 appendages between Y. and P. fins ; lateral line not ])rickly, as described 

 by Donovan. The species is well figured by this author (Brit. Fish., pi. 1) ; 

 but, in the present specimen, the spines on snout are not so regular as in 

 his figure. 



In April, 1835, I examined the contents of a fishing-boat at Howth, and 

 found that it contained, amongst a variety of other fishes, three kinds of 



