3458 Fishes, 



Sapphirine Gurnard, Trigla Hirundo. Specimens of this fish have 

 been at different times got from Lossiemouth, as in January, 1841, 

 and in October, 1845. 



Gray Gurnard, Trigla Gumardus. " Girnat, Croonyal." Very 

 common, and frequently brought for sale to the different market towns. 

 Some of the fishermen speak of three sorts of gurnards as known to 

 them on the coast; viz., the black, brown, and red. It is uncertain 

 whether the species above enumerated be those meant. The red gur- 

 nards are represented as attaining the size of the largest haddock, and 

 weighing seven or eight pounds. They are said to appear in the Firth 

 in shoals about the beginning of June, when the first of the small her- 

 rings are seen, and seldom take a hook but those baited with herring. 

 They are also found at a distance from land, preferring "hard" (rocky) 

 ground. The black gurnards go with the dog-fish, following the her- 

 rings ; while the brown (gray ?) gurnards come to the sands near the 

 harbour-mouth. 



Sea Scorpion, Coitus Scorpius. 



Father Lasher, Coitus bubalis. 



Both these species are frequent along the shores of the Moray Firth, 

 and have the name of " Sutor" applied to them. They are often ta- 

 ken by boys at the different harbours, and are tortured with the same 

 cruelties as youngsters on land were wont to practise on the poor per- 

 secuted yellow-hammer. 



The Pogge, Aspidophorus Europaus, has been met with in several 

 instances. In January, 1849, ten specimens, from 2 to 5 inches long, 

 were found in a cod-fish. 



Norway Haddock, Sebastes Norvegicus. A beautiful young speci- 

 cimen of this very rare British fish was obtained at Lossiemouth in 

 December, 1850, and presented by the Rev. James Weir to the Elgii 

 Museum. It measured 8 inches in length : the dorsal fin has 12 spi- 

 nous and 13 soft rays : the space between the eyes is not flat, but 

 has a small longitudinal furrow : the elevated crest on each side of th< 

 occiput terminates in two (not in one) small spines. 



Stickleback, Gasterosteus Trachurus. " Banstickle." Abundant ii 

 almost every ditch, pool, and stream. 



Fifteen-spined Stickleback, Gasterosteus Spinachia. Apparently 

 rare in the Firth, as only two specimens have as yet been discovered ; 

 viz., one by Dr. Gordon at Stotfield, in July, 1849, and the other by 

 P. Duff, Esq., at Lossiemouth, in 1850. 



Common Sea Bream, Pagellus centrodontus. Of late years this 

 lias been more frequent in the Firth than it is believed to have been 



