STAR-GAZERS. 189 



The Star-gazers (family Uranoscopidae) are a natural and well- g tar _ 

 defined family deriving their name from the eyes being set on the gazers- 

 upper surface of the large, broad head and looking upward as 

 though gazing at the stars. The mouth slit is nearly vertical, the 

 lower jaw being pushed well forward ; granular ossifications are 

 developed on the roof and sides of the head. These fishes are 

 inhabitants of most warm and tropical seas. The common Star- 

 gazer of the Mediterranean, Uranoscopus scaber, 861, was well- 

 known to the ancient Greeks, who termed it the ' Agnos/ or Holy- 

 fish ; they also knew it as the c Ouranoscopos/ or Heavenward- 

 looking Fish. 



The Star-gazer is a poor swimmer and lives mostly in the mud 

 and sand. A newly caught specimen put into an aquarium sinks 

 to the bottom of the water and by a few vigorous shovelling 

 movements of the pectoral fins buries itself in the sand until only 

 the mouth and eyes project. Here it lies quietly, the only signs 

 of its existence being a slight rhythmical disturbance of the sand 

 as the expired water leaves the gill-chamber, an occasional jerk of 

 the eyes, and the waving of a delicate filament which is attached 

 to the floor of the mouth and projects through the mouth opening. 

 This is evidently the bait with which the Star-gazer angles. 

 When a small fish, mistaking this filament for a harmless worm 

 wriggling in the sand, approaches within reach of the jaws, there 

 is a sudden disturbance of the sand caused by the rapid opening 

 of the Star-gazer's mouth, and the career of the small fish is 

 ended. 



In addition to the Common Star-gazer (861) are shown two 

 species occurring in the seas of China and Japan (860 and 862) 

 and specimens of the Australian forms Kalhetostoma (861) and 

 Anema (863). 



The Callionymidae include the Dragonets, fishes with a rather D ra «>- 

 small and protractile mouth, a narrow gill opening, and a scaleless nets. 

 skin. The first dorsal fin is composed of a few flexible spines ; the 

 second dorsal and the anal fin are rather short. The fishes are 

 small and widely distributed. The Common Dragonet of our 

 shores is Calliomjmus lyra, sometimes called the Sculpiu (866, 



