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Show 17& · PISCES. CxRRHIBARBA, Cuv. The form of a Clinus; teeth small and crowded,_ and besides a lit-tie tentacu1 u rn Over the eye and one in th. e nostril, there •a re three large ones at the etid of the muzzle, and eight under the pomt of the lower jaw. . . . But one species is known, from India, of a umform fawn co-lour. MuR..IENOIDEs, Lacep.-CENTRONOTus, Schn.· The ventrals smaller than in any of the other Blennies, and ire· quently reduced to a single ray. Their llead is very small, and their body elongated like the blade of~ a sword; a dorsal, all of ~hose rays are simple and without articulatiOns, extend's .along the w~ole length ofthe back. The teeth are like those of a Chnus, and their stomach and intestines of one uniform appearance. Bl. gunnellus, L.; Bl., 71, 1; Lacep., II, xii, 2. Very abull· dant on the coast of France; there is a suite of ocellated spots along the whole base of the dorsal. 0PlSTOGNATlius, Cuv. The form of a true Blenny, and particularly its short snout; dis· tinguished by very large maxillaries prolonged behind into a kind of long, flat moustache; rasp-like teeth in each jaw, the external row strongest; three rays in the ventrals, which are plac·ed exactly under the pectorals. 0. Sonnerati, Cuv., is the only species known; it was brought ftom the Indian Ocean by Sonnerat. ZoARcus,· Cuv.· We dare not separate these fishes from the Blennies, although they have no spinal ray; for they are provided with their anal tubercle, intestines without creca, and smooth, oblong body, six rays in the branchire. There are three rays in the ventraf; teeth conical, form· ing a single row on the sides of the j.aws, and several in front; none in the palate; the dorsal, anal, and caudal are united,· not however until the dorsal is considerably depres'iled. Z. viviparus; Bl. viviparus, L.; Bl., 72. A foot long; fawn colouted, with blackish spots along the dorsal; from the seas Bl . .O.udifredi, Risso, pl. vi, f. 15;-Bl. capen&i8, Forster, lll. Schn., 175;-Bl.lum: penw, Walb., Arted. Reuov. part III, pl. iii. ACANTHOPTERYGII. 177 of Europe and throughout the North; it has long been recog· nized as viviparous. Z. labrosus, Cuv.; Bl. labrosus, Mitch. op. cit. I, 1, 7. A much larger American species which is three feet and more in length; it is of an olive colour, sprinkled with brown spots. ANARRHICHAs, Lin.(l) So very similar are these fishes to the Blenny, that I would willingly name them Blennies without ventrals. The dorsal fin entirely com· posed of simple, but not stiff rays, commences at the nape of the neck, and extends, as well as the anal, close to that of the tail, which is rounded, as well as the pectorals. Their whole body is smooth and slimy. Their palatine bones, vomer and mandibles, are armed with stout, bony tubercles, surmounted with small enamelled teeth, the anterior ones however are longer and more conical. This mode of dentition furnishes them with powerful weapons, which, added to their great size, render them ferocious and dangerous. .!1. lupus, L. Bl., 7 4 (The Sea-Wolf), is the most common species; it inhabits northern seas, and is frequently seen on the coast of Europe; six or seven feet long; brown, with clouded bands of deep brown; the flesh resembling that of an eel. This fish is valuable to the Icelanders, who salt and dry the flesh for food, employ the skin as shagreen, and the gall as soap.(2) The Gonius, Lin. Commonly called Gobies or Sea-Gudgeons, are instantly recognized by the union of their thoracic ventrals, either along the whole of their length, or at least at their base, forming a single hollow disk more or less infundibuliform. The spines of the dorsal are flexible, the branchial apertures provided with five rays only, and generally but slightly open. Like the Blennies, they can live for some time out of water, their stomach has no cul-de-sac, and the intestinal canal is not furnished with creca; finally, the males have the same little appendage behind the anus, and some species are known to be viviparous. They are small or moderate sized fishes, which live (1) .!l.TU.Jrrhichaa, Climber, a. name invented by Gesner (Paralipomen, p. 1261,) because this fish is said to climb upon rocks and shoals by the aid of its fins and tail. (2) The petrified teeth of this fish have been considered as constituting Bufttnitu, but they have neither their form nor tissue. Add the .O.narr. minor, Olafsen., Voy. en lsi. Fr. Trans., pl. L. VoL. II.-x \ |