GURNARDS. 77 



as distinct species, may in the first place be desirable. ' Leur tete est la 

 meme, ses granulations sont semblables, les dentelures des lobes de leur 

 museau sont tout aussi distinctes, et les points de leurs pieces operculaires et 

 de leur epaule tout aussi aigues ; niais les trois premieres epines de leur dor- 

 sale n'ont pas, commedans le gurnard gris, les cotes granules ou chagrines : 

 on ne voit qu'une dentelure a peine perceptible sur le tranchant anterieur 

 des deux premieres. Les cretes des ecailles qui garnissent leur fossette 

 dorsale sont entieres et sans crenelures, et se terminent chacune par une 

 simple pointe. Celles des ecailles de leur ligne latcrale ne sont pas non 

 plus crenelees comme dans les gurnards gris, mais ont deux a trois dents 

 de scie, dont une est plus saillante et plus aigue que les autres. Tout le 

 reste est parfaitement conforme de meme dans les deux especes.'^ — Article 

 T. Cuculus, tome iv. p. 68. 



T. Cuculus. 



No. 1 = 21 inches long. Colour red, " with a conspicuous black spot 

 on the upper part of the first dorsal," extending from the 3rd to the 5th 

 ray. A few denticles on the 1st I), ray only; all the scales on the D. 

 ridge entire, each being a sharp spine directed backwards ; scales of the 

 lateral line not crenated, but consisting of a series of hooked spines simi- 

 larly directed. 



Nos. 2 and 3 * = 3 and 3+ inches long. Colour red ; a conspicuous 

 black spot from 3rd to oth ray of first D. fin. Scales of D. ridge and 

 lateral line as in No. 1 ; no denticles on D. rays in No. 2 ; the rays in No. 

 3 imperfect. 



Intermediate betiveen T. Cuculus and T. Gurnardns. 



No. 4 ^= 1 inches long. Colour dark grey ; black spot of first D. fin 

 very conspicuous. Two anterior scales of I), ridge slightly denticulated ; 

 the remainder simple ; scales occupying the anterior part of lateral line, for 

 about an inch in extent, crenated ; remainder as in Nos. 1 — 3 ; first D. 

 ray denticulated, and to a greater extent than in No. 1 . 



No. 5 = 9 inches long. Male, colour greyish-red ; a conspicuous 

 black spot on first D. fin. The few anterior scales only of the D. ridge 

 slightly denticulated ; anterior portion of every scale on the lateral line 

 crenated, but each terminating in a hooked spine. 1st and 2nd I), rays 

 denticulated, points on the 1st increasing in number.f 



T. Gurnardus. 



No. 6 =11 inches long. Female, colour blackish-grey ; a black spot 

 on D. fin. Scales on D. ridge all crenated, points directed upwards ; those 

 on the lateral line all crenated, occasional scales throughout its length 

 terminating in a hooked spine. 3 anterior I), rays crenated. 



No. 7 =: IH inches long. Male, colour greyish-red; black spot on 1st 

 D. fin. Scales throughout D. ridge crenated, but nearly all of them having 

 the terminal hooked spine ; scales on lateral line all crenated, but, as in the 

 D. scales, all except those occupying the anterior inch terminated by a 

 spine ; 1st and 2nd anterior rays only of 1st 3). granulated. 



No. 8 = 13^ inches long. Colour blackish-grey, with a slight tinge of 

 pale-red over it ; 1st D. fin generally dusky. Scales of 1). ridge crenated, 



* The specimens described as T. Cucidus in the Annals, vol. i. 318. 



t Since this was procured, Dr. Parnell has favoured nie with a specimen of 

 similar size, and which, being in the transition stale, admirably shows the 

 cliaracters of both species. 



