THE SHORT-SPINED COITUS. 1&3 



pend on the age of the fish, as shewn when treating of the 

 last species, Trigla gurnardus. Mr Yarrell, in speaking of 

 this fish, says, " The spot on the first dorsal fin, however, 

 must not be considered as sufficient alone to identify this 

 species ; the two specimens under comparison, both having 

 this black spot, are in reality only varieties of the grey 

 gurnard.''' Certainly if we examine a specimen of T. Blo- 

 chli and a full grown one of T. gurnardus, we shall find 

 them to differ widely from one another ; but if a specimen 

 of either, nine inches in length, be examined, it will be 

 found to possess the characters of both, namely, the first 

 dorsal fin will have the rudiments of a dark spot ; the dorsal 

 ridge partly crenated and partly serrated, the lateral line 

 rough and serrated, and the body of a reddish-grey appear- 

 ance. Mr Jenyns states that it never attains the size of 

 the grey gurnard. In no instance have I ever found the 

 young of the grey gurnard possessing the characters of an 

 adult, but bearing always those which are assigned to 

 T. Blochii* 



Genus CO TTUS.— Dorsal fins two ; body without 

 scales ; teeth in front of the vomer, but none on the pala- 

 tines. 



Cottus scoEPius.t — Thk Short-spined Cottus. 



Specific Characters. — Preoperculum with three spines, the longest 

 not extending beyond the operculum. 



Description. — From a specimen a foot in length. Body rounded, 

 -without scales, tapering gradually to the base of the tail ; head large, 



• Plate 24. is here added to make the number of the British gurnards 

 complete, and to serve as a comparison should the fish be found to occur on 



the Scottish coast. It has recently been added to the British Fauna See 



Magazine of Zoology and Botany, vol. i. 



+ Cottus scorpius, Cuv., Yar., Jen., Bloch. Short-spined Coitus, Sea 

 Scorpion, Sea Bullhead, Scotland. 



