SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 103 



Sub-class Teleostei. Blennioidjb. 



haul it up, is often the signal for some rather irreverent expressions. 

 Unlike the land wolf, it is very good food, and the smaller ones 

 make quite a savory dish. When smoked, or dried, it is thought 

 by some, to equal in flavor Salmon, prepared in the same way. 

 It is found largest in size in the more northern regions of its terri- 

 torial limits. It is a savage among fish, and the expressions of its 

 features, and the snapping of teeth, with which it is well provided, 

 and the ferocity of its actions when taken, give true manifestations 

 of its character. Some of them taken in the high latitudes have 

 measured eight feet in length. 



Characteristics. " Leaden grey, with dusky vertical bands on 

 the dorsal fin, extending irregularly over the sides. Length three 

 to five feet." DeKay. 



Specific Description. The head is arched from the nape of the 

 neck to the point of the snout, but slightly flattened on the top and 

 at the sides. A few rows of pores pass up from the snout to the 

 eye, and beneath it to the back of the head. There is another 

 circular row around the eyes, others are seen on the cheeks and on 

 the lower jaw. These pores produce a thick covering of mucus 

 over it which hide the scales which are discovered when this is 

 removed. Nostrils small. Jaws are well provided with teeth. In 

 the lower jaw are two long stout ones projecting forward, and there 

 are two others of the same size bent backward, and behind 

 these half a dozen more, very sharp and of different sizes. " There 

 are six in the intermaxillaries ; many above, larger, and diverging 

 outwards ; back of these on each side, are six smaller conical ones, 

 sharply pointed." [<SYorer.] 



There are also nine on the vomer with flat tops, increasing in 

 size as you pass back, sometimes forming a solid mass ; and in 

 addition to all these there is a double row of molar teeth, some of 

 them having pointed crowns. Eyes of medium size, iris yellow ; 

 lips large loose, and fleshy — tongue large and dusky. 



The body is cylindrical — somewhat compressed on sides and 

 tapers regularly to the tail. 



It is of pinkish brown, or leaden grey color, and has a series of 

 about a dozen blackish bands passing transversely over its back, 

 uniting or running into each other on the sides. 



The dorsal fin commences near to the nape of the neck and 

 passes along to near the tail, all the way of a uniform height. It 



