18 MARINE AND FRESHWATER FISHES 



walk upon the ground at the bottom of the sea, the modifi- 

 cation in this species being therefore in the direction of the 

 Gurnard family next described. 



FAMILY V. — The Bullheads and Gurnards 



{Cot tides). 



Body oblong, sub-cylindrical ; the skin naked or scaled ; 

 the head usually abnormally large and broad, armed with 

 defensive spines ; the mouth furnished with bands of feeble 

 villiform teeth, its cleft lateral ; the eyes lateral or ap- 

 proximated towards the top of the head ; dorsal fin more 

 generally double, its spinous portion being the less developed ; 

 branchiostegal rays from five to seven in number ; air-bladder 

 present or absent. 



The genus Coitus, including the Bullheads and that of 

 Trigla, embracing the Gurnards or Mail-cheeks, are the 

 only representatives of the family found in British waters ; 

 the group otherwise is abundantly developed throughout 

 the Arctic, Temperate, and Tropical seas, the majority being 

 inhabitants of shallow water. The Bullheads, remarkable 

 for their large, ungainly heads, which when disturbed they are 

 capable of still further distending, and thus opposing as 

 defensive weapons the sharp spinous processes with which 

 the pre-operculum more especially is armed, are somewhat 

 repulsive-looking fishes, found usually lurking among stones 

 in the neighbourhood of the shore. Being destitute of a 

 swimming bladder, they are incapable of supporting them- 

 selves for any length of time in mid-water, and are 

 in the habit of lying in wait behind stones, seaweeds, and 

 other submarine objects, and thence pouncing out upon 

 their unsuspecting prey. The Bullheads are exceedingly 

 voracious fish, scarcely any animal organisms coming amiss to 



