00 



RANICEPS. 



THE head large, broad, and depressed; body of moderate length, 

 with very small scales. A barb at the lower jaw; small teeth in 

 the jaws and middle of the palate, mingled with stronger ones in 

 the former. Two dorsal fins, of which the first is exceedingly small; 

 a single anal fin, both disjoined from the tail. Ventral fins jugular, 

 with two of its rays much longer than the other. 



LESSER FORKBEARD. 



TADPOLE FISH. 



Barlus minor, Lesser ForTcbeard, JAGO, in Ray's Synopsis. 



Blennius trifurcatuv. TURTOS'S LINNAEUS. 



Batra-clwiide blennoide, and Blennie 



tridadyle, LACEPEDE. 



Eaniceps ti'ifurcatus, and 11. jctffo, FLEMING; Br. Animals, p. 194. 



Mag. of Zoology, by Sir W. 



Jardine, Bart., vol. i. 



" " JENYNS; Manual, p. 453. 



' " " YAREELL; British Fishes, vol. ii, 



p. 292. 



s trifurcus, GUKTHER; Cat. Br. Museum, 



vol. iv, p. 367. 



THIS species was first made known to science by Jago, and 

 was long believed to rank among our rarest fishes; but, since 

 attention has been more generally directed toward the inha- 

 bitants of our seas, it is discovered to be not uncommon on 

 all the coasts of the British islands, where the water is nol 

 shallow, and the bottom is rough, or rocky. 



Yet it appears to be a wandering as well as solitary fish.: 

 and although several liave been taken in a season in the 

 of Cornwall, it is only on one occasion that I have 



