184 FISH GALLERY. 



it is esteemed as food, and occasionally finds its way to the London 

 markets. Scorpcena is a widely distributed genus^ the species 

 Scorpcena scrofa, 816, being common in the Mediterranean ; 

 Scorpcena cirrhosa, 814, and Scorpcena diabolus, 815, are tropical 

 forms. Pterois miles, 817, is an Indian fish remarkable for its 

 brilliant red colour and the elongation of most of its fin-rays. 

 Species of Agriopus (818-820), Synanceia (821-822), Pelor (824) 

 and Centropogon (823) are also shown. 

 Wall- The division Trigliformes continues from Wall-case 18 into 



jaee 1, . Wall-case 19, the first family in the latter being the Hexagram- 

 matidse, comprising carnivorous fishes, mostly of large size, 

 although the specimen exhibited, Chirus hexagrammus, 827, is of 

 moderate size only. They occur on the rocky coasts of the 

 North Pacific, and some of them are valued as food-fishes. The 

 head has no strong spines and is not cuirassed, and there is a 

 single nostril on each side, whereas in the preceding family 

 (Scorpsenidse) there are two. The spinous dorsal fin has feeble 

 rays. 

 Bull- The fishes of the family Cottidje have two nostrils on each side 



eaas. an( j ^e head is usually provided with spines. The spinous dorsal 

 fin is usually shorter than the soft dorsal and sometimes indistinct ; 

 the anal fin is without spines. The majority of the Cottid fishes 

 are marine and found in northern seas. The best known forms 

 of Coitus are the Miller's Thumb, Cottus gobio^ 831, a little fresh- 

 water fish growing to five inches in length, very bulky about the 

 head and gills, with eyes set on the top of the head, and with 

 pectoral fins large and spreading out like fans, and the marine 

 Bull-heads, e. g. the Father-lasher, Cottus bubalis, 830, and the 

 Sea- scorpion or Sting-fish, Cottus scorpius. Cottus grcenlandicus, 

 828, is probably but a northern form of Cottus scorpius. In 

 America the species of Cottus are called " Sculpins/' but in Britain 

 the name Sculpin is applied to the Dragonet, Callionymus 

 lyra, 865. 

 Lump- The Cyclopteridse are distinguished from the Cottidse by the 

 small size of the gill-opening and by the pelvic fins being modified 

 to form a sucking disc (835). The body is short and tumid, 



