ACANTHOPTERYGII 70I 



finger-like appendages of the pectoral fins, which are employed 

 to feel the ground in search of crustaceans and other small 

 animals on which they feed ; also for the grunting sounds which 

 they utter by the contraction of the air-bladder. About 50 

 species are known, referable to 4 genera : Prionotus, Trigla, 

 Lepidotrigla, Peristedion. Fossil remains referred to Trigla 

 have been found in Miocene and later formations. British 

 species are the Grey Gurnard (^Trigla gurnardus), the Eed 

 Gurnard (T. cuculus), the Tub or Sapphirine Gurnard (T. Tiirundo), 

 the Piper {T. lyra), the Long-finned Gurnard {T. obscura), and 

 the Streaked Gurnard (T. lineata). 



Fam. 11. Dactylopteridae. — Head completely cuirassed ; 

 basis cranii simple ; parietal bones meeting on the median line ; 

 two nostrils on each side. Gill-cleft broadly separated by scaly 

 isthmus; gills 4; pseudobranchiae present. Vertebrae 20-22 

 (8-9 -I- 12-13), the first very elongate and formed by the fusion 



Fig. 426. — Dadylopterus volitam. (After Gill.) ^ nat. size. 



of three or four; ribs sessile, no transverse processes. Post- 

 temporal fused with the skull ; no supraclavicle ; scapula and 

 coracoid well developed, in contact with each other; pectoral 

 rays divided into two parts, inserted on the scapula and on 4 

 elongate pterygials, of which 3 are in contact with the coracoid. 

 Ventral fins close together, with 1 spine and 4 soft rays. 

 Spinous dorsal shorter than the soft ; anal without spines. Body 

 covered with hard, rough scales. 



The "Flying Gurnards," of which four species are known, 

 belonging to a single genus {Bactylopterus), are inhabitants of the 

 tropical and warm parts of the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean 

 and Archipelago. They are remarkable, when adult, for the 



