458 COLONEL MONTAGU ON NEW AND RARE 



stant. The name of Red Gurnard, given to this 

 species, is misapplied, because it partakes less of 

 that colour than many others ; and consequently, 

 the red variety of the Streaked Gurnard is gene- 

 rally considered as this fish. The species in que- 

 stion v^ith the dorsal spot, is in colour more like 

 the Grey Gurnard, T. Gurnardus, but v^^ith a icosy 

 tinge ; it is a mixture of grey, yellow, and ro- 

 seate, but possibly season and climate may incline 

 it more to red. Bloch has made the dorsal spot 

 an essential character ; but the number of rays 

 in the dorsal and anal fins is so very different 

 from what I have noticed, that it is difficult to de- 

 termine these to be the same ^, It will be seen, 

 that our fish has three spines less in the dorsal, 

 and six rays more in the anal than Block's fish. 

 Pennant has given the same number as ours in 

 the ventral, and two more in the dorsal. That 

 the rays of the fins are by no means constant cha- 

 racters, is v»7ell known ; but the difference of one- 

 third of the number is greater than I ever recol- 

 lect to have noticed. 



It must be admitted, that the history of fishes 

 is yet very imperfect. Much is required to be 

 done, in order to define the species of some intri- 



* Trigla corpore rubro, macula nigra in pinna dorsali prima. 

 Dorsal 10, 18; pectoral 10; ventral 6 ; anal 12 ; caudal 15. 



