66 ACANTHOPTERYGIL 



bital with a strong spine anteriorly, and sometimes followed by a few smaller ones. 

 Opercular spine not well developed. Angle of preopercle with, two small spines. 

 Supra-scapular and coracoid both ending in small spines. Teeth — fine ones in jaws 

 and vomer, none on the palatines. Fins — second dorsal spine very elongated, 

 equalling about 1/3 of the entire length of the fish. Pectoral about as long as the 

 head and reaching to above the third anal ray. Caudal forked in its last third. 

 Scales — small. Lateral-line — consisting of unarmed but lineated plates, about 

 one-third as wide as high. About 28 spinate plates along the base of the dorsal fins. 

 Intestines — in the example figured, which is 6 inches in length, the extent of the 

 intestinal tract is 3 inches from the pylorus to the vent. Air bladder simple. 

 Colours — superiorly of a vermilion tint, with a broad and shining silvery lateral 

 band along the whole length of the body, below which it becomes of a dull white. 

 Pectoral fins deep blue : the other fins of a rosy hue. 



Names. — Lucerna due to the brilliant silvery band along its side : lanthom- or 

 sMning -gurnard : long-finned captain. Le Milan, French. 



Habits. — Gregarious and when pursued springing out of the water in their 

 efforts to escape. Pliny in old times and later both Lacepede and Risso believed 

 that it possesses the power of displaying a conspicuous light by night, the latter 

 author considering this faculty inherent in all examples of the genus. Cuvier 

 observed that it arrives off the coast of Provence in the month of March. 



Means of capture. — By the trawl, is said not to take a bait. 



Breeding. — Supposed to be about Midsummer. 



As food. — Its flesh is said to be firm, similar to that of the red gurnard, 

 Trigla cuculus. 



Habitat. — Well known throughout the Mediterranean and Adriatic, also 

 occasionally found along the south coast of England. It was first brought to notice 

 as British by Parnell, who obtained several from the Brixham trawlers by whom 

 it was known as the long-finned captain. In 1849, August 9th, Mr. Cocks found 

 one in trawl refuse, while another was procured from a fish-stall at Helford. 

 Couch obtained it from Plymouth, where he observed it does not appear to be 

 caught in any abundance. It has also been recorded from Bridgewater in 

 Somersetshire. 



It is said to scarcely reach to a foot in length. 



