Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTOEY OF VICTORIA. [Fish 



Plate 6. 



TRIGLA KUMU (Lesson and Garn.). 



The Kumu Gurnard. 



[Genus TRIGLA (Artedi). (Sub-kingd. Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Order Acanthop- 

 terygia. Earn. Triglidae.) 



Gen. Char. — Head subrhomboidal, with the top and sides bony, covered with granular 

 ridges ; scales of body very minute ; anterior dorsal fin much shorter than posterior one; 

 three long slender pectoral filaments ; teeth villiform in numerous rows on both jaws, and a few 

 on the vomer, none on the palatine bones ; air-bladder bilobed in front.] 



Description. — Fin-rays: dorsals, anterior 9 or 10, posterior 15 or 16; anal, 

 15 or 16 (last two united at base); ventral, 1 simple and 5 branched rays; pec- 

 toral, 10; caudal, about 18 (llf). Scales: along- lateral line about 69 to 73, 16 

 rows above between the dorsals, and about 65 below the lateral line ; no spine to 

 scales of lateral line. Snout acutely pointed when viewed sideways ; profile nearly 

 straight ; concave space between the eyes rather less than diameter of orbit, and 

 only slightly hollowed ; vertical diameter of eye about 3 J times in the depth of the 

 head; 2 small spines in front of the eye; 1 suprascapular, 1 opercular, and 2 

 preopercular spines, small, about 2 lines long; lateral angles of snout, or ends of 

 sub-opercular bones, blunt, nearly rectangular, with small blunt spines, about 5 or 6 

 in number ; a row of 25 spines on each side of the concave channel in which the 

 dorsal fins originate ; first dorsal spine little shorter than the second and third, which 

 are longest, and equal to the length from anterior nostril to tip of spine at angle of 

 preoperculum. Color : head yellowish on cheeks, purplish-grey above, in front, and 

 behind; back and sides a dull pale cinnamon-brown, with an olive tinge, and with 

 large blotches, irregular in size, shape, and disposition, of a dull indian-red or 

 reddish -brown. Dorsal fins very pale, brownish, and yellowish ; anal and ventral 

 fins whitish ; 3 pectoral filaments dotted with brown ; pectoral fins blackish-green, 

 with reddish rays on outer side ; on inner side pale yellowish-olive, with a pale, 

 narrow, greyish-blue margin, with 2 or 3 rows of small oval spots of the same color 

 within the border ; a large ovate black blotch between the third and sixth rays from 

 the lower edge, having about five oblong" opaque white spots tinged with bluish along* 

 its upper edge, and three running* down the middle ; caudal fin reddish, with 

 brownish rays darker towards the margin ; throat and belly pure white. Iris golden 

 yellow. Teeth : about 5 rows on upper jaw of 60 each in the length ; a transverse 

 arched group of about 35 small teeth on front of vomer ; about 4 rows in lower 

 jaw, 50 each in the length. Transverse section of body, with a narrow rounded 

 back, widening towards the belly. Total length to end of caudal, 19 inches ; length 

 of head, 4 inches 6 lines; second spine of dorsal, 2 inches 6 J lines ; length of pec- 

 toral, 5 inches (reaching to third ray of anal and second dorsal) ; diameter of eye, 9 

 lines ; space between eyes, 9^ lines. 



.Reference. — Lesson and Garn. Voyage de la Coquille. Poissons, t. 19. 



[ 19 ] 



