MONTAGU'S BLENNY. 251 



loured : on the top of the head, between the eyes, is a 

 transverse, fleshy, fimbriated membrane ; the fanbrite of 

 a purplish brown colour, tipped with white ; the nostrils 

 furnished with a minute bifid appendage : behind the crest 

 are several minute, erect, filiform appendicitis, between 

 that and the dorsal fin, placed longitudinally : the lateral 

 line considerably curved near the head; the pectoral fins 

 are large and ovate, reaching as far as the vent : the ventral 

 fins two unconnected rays : the dorsal fin extends from 

 the head to the tail, and appears like two distinct fins, 

 by reason of the slope to the thirteenth ray, which is not 

 above half the length of the anterior ones, and the sudden 

 elongation of the fourteenth ray : this fin is very broad, and 

 in one specimen there was an ovate black spot between the 

 first and second ray, and another obscure one between the 

 next rays ; but this is not a constant character. The anal 

 fin is equally broad, and extends from the vent to the tail, 

 the rays margined with black and tipped with white ; caudal 

 fin slightly rounded." 



" The colour above is generally olive green, spotted with 

 pale blue, shaded to white ; the belly white, and the pectoral 

 fins spotted with orange. 



" The number of fin-rays are 



D. 30 : P. 12 : V. 2 : A. 18 : C. 14. 







" Not fewer than eight or ten of this species have come 

 under my inspection, the greater part of which did not exceed 

 an inch and a half in length ; but two at present before 

 me measure nearly two inches and a half, and differ in 

 nothing but the spots on the dorsal fin. The crest is not 

 capable of being erected, at least no voluntary motion 

 could be observed while the fish was examined alive in sea- 

 water ; but this appendage is invariably transverse, and gene- 



