YARRELL' > S BLENNY. 267 



angle of the mouth is depressed, the mouth in front ap- 

 pears vide ; the lips capable of extensive motion ; the 

 teeth smaller and shorter than those of any other British 

 Blenny. 



At the superior anterior margin of the eye on each side 

 is a small fiinbriated appendage, which is connected with 

 that on the opposite side of the head by a fold of skin form- 

 ing a transverse union, passing in its passage over the fore- 

 head, which is prominent ; behind these two small appen- 

 dages are two other tentacula, one on each side, about twice 

 the length of the anterior pair, and also fimbriated. On the 

 nape of the neck, and for some distance towards the com- 

 mencement of the dorsal fin, the skin is smooth, with the 

 exception of various small papillae, as noticed by Dr. Flem- 

 ing ; the eyes lateral, large for the size of the head, but not 

 so large by comparison as those of the other Blennies. 



The dorsal fin commences three-eighths of an inch behind 

 the last pair of tentacula ; it is uniform in height throughout, 

 and reaches to the tail ; the first ray a little shorter than the 

 second ; the first three rays with membranous filaments, as 

 described by Dr. Fleming. The membrane connecting the 

 first four rays darker in colour than the other parts of the 

 fin ; the points of all the rays projecting beyond the edge 

 of the connecting membrane ; the last dorsal fin-ray united 

 to the tail by an intervening membrane ; all the rays 

 simple. 



The ventral fins, only three-sixteenths of an inch in length, 

 are placed rather before the pectorals, and are supported 

 by three rays, ascertained by carefully dissecting off the 

 investing membrane on one side. The pectoral fins are 

 rounded when spread, pointed when closed, the middle rays 

 bein^ the longest, and extending over two-thirds of the 



Q O ' O 



space between the edge of the opcrculum and the commence- 

 ment of the anal fin. The vent is placed immediately in 



