THE BLEXNIES AND BAND-FISHES. 369 



with light oval spots. The second, which does not exceed 

 a length of 2 inches, is red above, pink below, and marked 

 with a few light vertical bands. The male guards the 

 eggs. 



CHAPTER X. THE BLENNIES AND BAND- 



FISHES. 



I. The Blennies. 



From the absence of scales the Shanny is also known 



as the "Smooth Blenny." In colour, it is yellowish, with 



black spots. Its food apparently consists of 



small crustaceans and vegetable matter. The 



shanny spawns on the bottom in the summer. 



We have in the Gattorugine a far larger species, easily 



recognised by the fringed tentacle over the eye, the pro- 



Gatto- portionate length of this appendage being ap- 



rugine. parently subject to variation. In colour, the 



gattorugine is greyish brown with vertical bands, the fins 



edged with yellow or white. 



The Butterfly Blenny, also known as the " Eyed " 

 Blenny, may be recognised by the large black white- 

 Butterfly rimmed spot on the first dorsal fin. In 

 Blenny. colour it is grey, having half-a-dozen dark 

 vertical bands. Like the last, it has a tentacle over the 

 eye. It seems almost confined to the south-west coast. 



Montagu's Blenny, smallest of all those of British 

 Montagu's habitat, rarely exceeds the length of 3 inches, 

 Blenny. ^nd is covered with conspicuous white spots. 

 Between the eyes is a fold of skin with a fringe of 



2 A 



