36 
LITTLE GURNAED. 
Trigla pmciloptera, Yarbell; Br. Fishes, vol. i, p. 49. 
“ “ Thompson; Nat. Hist, of Ireland, vol. iv, p. 79- 
“ “ Gunthee; Cat. Br. Museum, vol. ii, p. 203. 
This, tlie smallest species of all the British Gurnards, appears 
to have been generally overlooked, from the supposition that 
it was no other than an early stage of the growth of the 
Common Grey Gurnard. It was first made known as an 
inhabitant of the British Islands by Mr. William Thompson^ 
of Belfast, whose account of it we extract, as comprising 
almost the whole of what is known concerning it. 
“In the Zoological Proceedings for 1837, I published the 
following notice of an Irish specimen of this fish, the first 
procured in the British Islands. 
Trigla j^mcAlopter a, Cuvier and Valenciennes. Little Gurnard- 
— Amongst the number of fishes submitted to my examination 
by Mr. Bell, is a Gurnard, apparently of this species, which 
was taken at Youghal, I believe along with sprats, early in 
the summer of 1835. In form it agrees in every character 
by which the T. pceciloptera is said to be distinguished. Judging 
from its present appearance, I have little doubt that when 
recent it would in colour also have corrcsjionded. Its length 
is two inches. Fin rays — dorsal ten, (last extremely short,) 
fifteen; pectoral ten, (three free;) ventral five;, anal fifteen; 
caudal fifteen. Second dorsal ray longest; twenty-five dorsal 
spines; caudal fin a little forked; lateral line spinous. Thence 
to the dorsal fin, and to an equal distance below the linC) 
rough with spinous scales, (this is not mentioned by Cuvier 
and Valenciennes;) lower portion of the sides smooth. With 
the T. aspera, Viviana, as described in the last-quoted worhj 
and which in length is stated, like the T. pceciloptera, to be 
