The Blenniiclee of South Africa. 101 



fringed tentacle or flap ; interorbital space concave ; a deep trans- 

 verse groove behind orbits, which are prominent and placed high 

 up : anterior profile of head descends abruptly, snout obtuse, giving 

 a somewhat swollen appearance to the throat ; upper lip overhangs 

 lower, maxillary reaches to vertical of anterior third or middle of 

 orbits. Mucous pores on head and shoulders ; and the arched 

 portion of the lateral line is formed by two rows of pores, which are 

 sometimes apparent as a single row posteriorly. 



Dorsal xii 17-20; slightly emarginate, commences about in line 

 with posterior margin of preoperculum, not joined to caudal ; spines 

 weak, the anterior ones curved backwards in their upper half and 

 5 to 4- length of head ; a w 7 ell-defined notch between spinous 

 and soft-rayed portions, the latter being about equal to or a little 

 higher than the spinous portion. Pectorals 14, oval in outline, 

 middle rays longest and T 7 Tr to ^ length of head, membranes incised. 

 Ventrals i 2 ; 1 to f length of head. Anal n 19-21 ; in the males 

 the spines are tuberculous, in the females the 1st spine is not always 

 apparent and there are no tubercles ; soft rays not so high as those 

 of soft dorsal, membranes incised. Caudal slightly rounded, inner 

 rays divided, about f length of head. 



Colour (alive), dark, with shades of lighter brown or faint bars 

 on body ; a black margin to anal, lower rays of pectorals pinkish ; 

 tentacles over eyes light red, grey, &c. ; thoracic and abdominal 

 region white or light coloured ; a tinge of yellow and pink on body 

 and fins. 



Colour (of preserved specimens), light brown, head and margin of 

 anal black ; sometimes faint marbling on body. 



Four specimens, 84 mm., 93 mm., 103 mm., 107 mm. in length 

 respectively, from Kalk Bay. 



BLENNIUS CEINITUS, C. and V. 



Blennius crinitus, Cuv. and Val., xi., p. 237 ; Guichen, Explor. 

 Alger. Poiss., p. 72 ; Gtinth., hi., p. 224. 



A little Blenny remarkable for the number of filaments which it 

 bears on its brows and nape : above each eye there are 3 small ones, 

 and in a longitudinal line extending from the interorbital space 

 nearly to the base of the dorsal there are 10 or 11, of which the 

 longest is about i the height of the head ; there are apparently no 

 nasal tentacles. The profile of the head descends rapidly. There 

 are about 30 fine teeth on each jaw ; no canines, or with very small 

 ones posteriorly. The head, almost as high as long, is about 



