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ACANTHOPTERYGII. 
gurnard, viz. T. Pini, T. Gurnardus, T. Hirundo. Four-fifths of them were, 
however, of the last-named species. 
The Piper, Trigla Lyra, Linn., 
Is known to me only as a fish of the southern and south-western coast. 
In Smith’s Cork (p. 309), two gurnards are mentioned ; the Grey, and 
“ Lyra Piper, or Red Gurnard ; ” but, as there are other red species, we 
cannot know positively whether or not this one was meant. However, it (as 
well as other red species) is, according to Dr. Ball, occasionally taken at 
Youghal, where “ it is called the Piper, from its music when dying.” This 
gentleman adds that “ it is a favourite dish, when stuffed with savoury mat- 
ters and baked.” 
The only Irish specimens of this fish which I have seen were two that 
were on sale, in the town of Galway, in July, 1840. 
Mr. M‘Calla informed me that it is taien plentifully in Galway Bay, 
and at Roundstone, but that it does not there attain the size mentioned 
in Jenyns’s Manual. 
Yarrell states that this species is “ said to have been taken in Belfast 
Bay (Brit. Fish., vol. i. p. 52) ; and Templeton noted it as found in the 
North of Ireland ; but, as already mentioned, I regard the latter note as 
referring to T. Pint, which is a common fish here, and which is not included 
in Templeton’s list. The former species may, however, occur in the North. 
The Grey Gurnard,* Trigla Gurnardus, Linn. ; T. Cuculus, Bloch, 
Is found around the coast. 
It is more generally disseminated, and much more numerous, than any 
of the other species of gurnard. Specimens from the northern, eastern, 
and southern shores are in my possession, and I have notes of their being 
plentiful on the western coast. 
This fish is chiefly taken in the Summer and Autumn, and is sometimes 
brought to Belfast market from the beginning of March until the end of 
October. Not being in much favour for the table with those who can 
afford a choice, it becomes a cheap food to the poorer people. Along the 
northern coast, the grey gurnards are frequently seen in vast shoals on 
the surface, during the Summer season, and are captured in great num- 
bers. On such occasions, the price varies from 4c?. a dozen to 4c?. a score. 
At Dundrum, on the coast of Down, where I have seen it taken, sand- 
eels and the fat of meat were successfully used as bait ; and once, in my 
presence, a slice cut off the side of one the moment it was brought into 
the boat had hardly reached the bottom before another was taken with it. 
This, I learned, was a common bait ; a piece of red cloth is also used for 
the same purpose. The food that has generally occurred to me in their 
stomachs was Crustacea (the distinguishable species of which were Portu- 
nus pusillus, and Pandalus anmdicornis) and small fishes, chiefly of a sil- 
very colour, as Ammodytes and Clupea. The grey gurnard, when taken 
from the water, emits, before dying, a kind of snoring noise, like others of 
the genus. 
In four females which I examined in the month of October, the ova 
were very faintly developed to the naked eye. 
In the Annals of Nat. History (vol. i. p. 348), I published the following 
notice of Trigla Cuculus, Bloch, which had not been previously known as 
* Called “ Knoud ” in the North of Ireland. This name is also applied to the 
species in Smith’s Cork (1750). 
