190 



LIPAEIS. 



TuE head moderately short, body lengthened, compressed nearer the 

 tail; a single, lengthened dorsal fin. The surface of the body smooth. 



SEA SNAIL. 



lAparis nostras, Willughby; Appendix, p. 17. 



" " Eay; Synopsis Piscium, p. 74 



" " Artedi; Appendix, p. 117. 



Cydopterus Liparis, Blocu; pi. 123. 



" " Turton's Linna3us. 



" " Jenyns; Manual, p. 472. 



Liparis vulgaris, Cuvier. Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 190. 



Cycloptere Liparis, Lacepeue. 



Cydopterus " Donovan; pi. 47. 



Liparis vulgaris, Tarkell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 371. 



" " Gunther; Catalogue Br. Museum, vol. iii, 



p. 159. 



A FISH is mentioned under the name of Liparis by some of 

 the older naturalists, but in such a manner as to raise a doubt 

 whether they are always referring to the species now understood 

 by that name; for, although it may be deemed probable that 

 the species called in the north of England the Sea Snail is one 

 of the number thus designated, it is also certain that at least 

 the fish which we shall call the Butter Fish, Blenjiius gunnellus, 

 was also known by the same denomination. But the principal 

 difficulty in deciding on the present species from the description 

 of these ancient writers arises from the fact that they make no 

 reference, or a very uncertain one, to that characteristic organ 

 the sucker; which is indeed referred to by Willughby and Kay; 

 but only as a mark resembling a seal; and probably it l>i on 

 this account that Linnreus hesitated in accepting it, although it 



