THE GURNARD. 
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v*/ 
Genus XLII — Ihe Gurnard . 
The diftinftive characters of this tribe, called by Lid- 
tutus trigla, are, a fcaly body, of an uniform Ilia pc, com- 
preded laterally, and attenuated towards the tail. The 
head broader than the body ; and doping towards the 
fnout, where it is armed with fpines ; the upper jaw di- 
vided, and extending beyond the lower. The eyes are 
far from the roftrum, near the top of the head large and 
prominent, particularly the upper margin of the orbits. 
The two dorial fins are unequal ; the firft fhort, high, 
and aculeated ; the fecond, long, doping, and radiated- 
The ventral and peCtoral fins are uncommonly large ; and 
from their bafe there hang three loofe and dender appen- 
dages *. 
To this genus belong* the dying filh of the failors, o'r 
trigla volans of Linncvus, remarkable for tire length of 
the pectoral fins, which it fometimes ufes for the pur- 
pofe of dying. There are two fpecies of the gurnard 
that participate in this manner the powers of the fea- 
thered race ; they are both found only in warm lati- 
tudes, and nature has probably vouchfafed them this en- 
dowment, to enable them to efcape from their numerous 
purfuers below. It is a curious fpeftacle in the intra- 
tropical regions to behold a thoufand of thefe ddies, a 1 -^ 
darting 
Guan. Hift. plfc. p. 148. 
