HEARDLESS OPHIIMI'M. 413 



Never having seen a specimen of this fish, Colonel Mon- 

 tagu's figure and description are here given, with some addi- 

 tions to be hereafter explained. 



" Length about three inches ; depth about a quarter of an 

 inch. The head is very obtuse, and rounded in front : eyes 

 large, placed forward and lateral ; irides dark, with a circle of 

 silver round the pupil : mouth, when closed, inclines oblique- 

 ly upwards ; the lips are marginated : the gill-membranes 

 inflated beneath. The body is en si form, considerably com- 

 pressed towards the tail, and in shape is not unlike that of 

 Cepola rubescens, vol. i. page S24, of this work ; the lateral 

 line is nearly in the middle, originating at the angle of the 

 operculum to the gills, but rather obscure : vent nearly in 

 the middle : the pectoral fin is rounded ; the dorsal fin com- 

 mences immediately above the base of the pectoral, and is at 

 first not so broad, and usually not so erect, as the other part : 

 the anal fin commences at the vent, and, together with the 

 dorsal, unites with the caudal fin, which is cuneiform, but 

 obtusely pointed. The colour is purplish brown, disposed 

 in minute speckles ; and along the base of the anal fin are 

 about ten small bluish white spots regularly placed, but 

 scarcely discernible without a lens, and possibly peculiar to 

 younger fishes : all the fins are like the body in colour, ex- 

 cept the pectoral and caudal ; the first is pale, the last is 

 yellowish." The fin-rays in number are 



D. 77 : P. 11 : A. 44 : C. 18 or 20. 



" This fish," Colonel Montagu observes, " does not ap- 

 pear to be very tenacious of life, like some of the Blennies, 

 as it was placed in a tin box with the Crested and Smooth 

 Blcnny, covered with wet sea-weed, and although these were 

 lively, the Ophidium was dead before it could be got to his 

 house. It died with its mouth shut, the pectoral fins thrown 

 forward, and the body curved a little near the vent, throwing 

 the head upwards." 



