THE RED GURNARD. 
71 
Family LORICATE 
The Red Gurnard, or Cuckoo Gurnard, Trigla Pini, Bloch, 
Is, probably, taken all around the coast. I have seen it brought in by 
fishermen, at various localities, from Derry, in the North, round the 
eastern coast, to Cork, in the South. 
Early in Spring, and late in Autumn, this species is most abundant in 
Belfast market ; but a few may be seen there in every month throughout 
the year. They not uncommonly reach 15 inches in length, and some- 
times attain to 17 inches here. Cuv. and Val. remark (t. iv. p. 26) that 
those brought to Paris rarely exceed a foot in length. 
The stomachs of twelve specimens which I examined at various seasons 
contained the following food : — 1st, a spider crab ; 2nd, small crabs ; 3rd, 
40 small Crustacea, one-half inch long ; and a small crab ( Portunus 
pusillus ?) ; 4th, remains of three small fishes, resembling sand-eels, a 
crab, a shrimp-like crustacean, and an Aphrodita aculeata ; 5th, a small 
fish, and thirty-five shrimp-like crustaceans ; 6th, two small fish, one flat- 
fish, and a shrimp-like crustacean ; 7th, filled with shrimp-like Crustacea ; 
8th, a crab; 9th, the remains of small brachyurous Crustacea; 10th, the 
remains of Crustacea, a among which were shrimps; 11th, do., do.; 12th, 
the remains of two small Pogges ( Aspidophori ). 
The form and indentations of the snout of this species are very different 
in individuals of similar size ; some being rounded off at the edge ; spines 
inconspicuous ; in others, the spines very prominent, and a square ap- 
pearance intermediate between that just noticed and T. Lyra , yet all true 
T. Pini. 
Of six specimens (three males and three females) which I examined on 
9th October, 1838, the greatest breadth of snout and development of 
spines on it were exhibited on the three smaller ones, which were males. 
Perhaps the males may generally have the broader and better armed 
snout. 
The irides of all these specimens were golden orange, and the general 
colour bright red. The ova seemed to the naked eye to be very little 
developed in any of them. 
A fish of this species which I obtained on 10th March, 1835, agreed 
precisely with Mr. Yarrell’s description in the third paragraph, p. 35, of 
his work on British Fishes (1st Ed.), except that the lateral line is 
not “ bifurcated at the caudal end,” but terminates in a single line. It 
was a female ; the roe being largely developed. 
The different species of gurnards have been much overlooked, the terms 
red and grey being applied to five or to six, according as we consider T. 
Cuculus and T. Gurnardus identical or otherwise. Templeton saw that 
there were four sp. ; but, on giving attention to the subject, I found that 
there were two more, not uncommon in the North, that he had not in- 
cluded, viz. T. Pini and T. lineata. In reference to the numbers occurring 
on our coasts, the species stand thus : — 1st, the Grey Gurnard, Trigla 
Gurnardus (synonymous with T. Cuculus , Bloch), is the most numerous ; 
2nd, the Sapphirine Gurnard, Trigla ILirundo ; 3rd, the Red or Cuckoo 
Gurnard, Trigla Pini; 4th, the Streaked Gurnard, Trigla lineata ; 5th, 
the Piper, Trigla Lyra ; 6th, the Little Gurnard, Trigla pceciloptera. 
I cannot but think that by T. Lyra, mentioned by Templeton as “ taken 
with the hook on our coast, but in no great numbers,” he meant T. Pini, 
