224 



BUTTERFLY BLENNY. 



Blennuis Bellonii, Jonston; tab. 19. f. 15; but lie appears to 



have confounded it with the Gobies, and 

 gives it two dorsal fins; perhaps from a 

 casual separation of the membrane, where 

 in its perfect condition it is depressed; and 

 so depressed that "Willoughby remarks, 

 without attentive observation this fish might 

 be supposed to possess two dorsal fins. 

 Butterfly Fish, Willoughby; p. 131, Table H. 3. 



Blennie Lievre, Lacepeue. Risso. 



Blennius ocellaris, Linnaeus. Cuvier. 



" " Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 206. 



" " Jenyns ; Manual, p. 379. 



" " Yarkell; British Fishes, vol. i, p. 253. 



" GuNTHER; Cat. Br. M., vol. iii, p. 222. 



This species is common in some parts of the Mediterranean, 

 but, according to Risso, not in others; and indeed it appears 

 to be only locally distributed anywhere. Willoughby found it 

 in the markets for sale at Venice, but Lacepede says it is 

 indifferent food, to Avhich Swainson adds that it only comes 

 to the table of the poorer people of Italy. From the great 

 height of its dorsal fin we may suppose that its habits and 

 motions are different from those of several others of its genus; 

 but they have not been particularly studied. 



In the British Islands this fish is rare, even where it has 

 been met with. Montagu was the first who noticed it by the 

 capture in a dredge of three examples on the south coast of 

 Devonshire; and Mr. Yarrell described it from an example 

 which he obtained among the rocks at the Island of Portland. 

 Mr. Thompson has obtained several at Weymouth. In the 

 British Museum there is a specimen from Plymouth, which 

 was presented to that collection by Lieutenant Spence, R.N., 

 who employed his time and skill in preserving the skins of 

 the fishes of that neighbourhood; and I am informed by W. 



