FISHES OF NEW YORK 663 



membranes free from the isthmus, or at least forming a broad 

 fold across it. Dorsal fin entire, or more or less emarginate, 

 the spines slender; pectorals moderate; ventrals well developed, 

 I, 3; no pyloric caeca; lateral line developed anteriorly. Species 

 numerous, lurking under rocks and algae in most warm seas; 

 some species in the lakes of northern Italy. The European 

 species in general are larger in size than ours, with higher fins. 



324 Blennius fucorum (Cuv. & Val.) 

 Seaweed Blenny 



Blennius fucorum Cxjvier & Vaxenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. XI, 263, 

 pi. 324, 1836, 240 miles south of Azores; De Kay, N, Y. Fauna, Fishes, 

 149, pi. 22, fig. 66, 1842, iu seaweed, not far from New York coast; 

 GuNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. Ill, 217, 1861; Jordan & GtLBERX, 

 Bull. 16, U. S. Nat. Mus. 759, 1883; Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, 

 U. S. Nat Mus. Ill, 2379, 1898. 



Blennius oceanicus Cuvier & Valenciennes, op. cit. 265, 1836, open At- 

 lantic, 29° N., 50° W. 



The length of the body is five times the length of the head; 

 orbital cirri nearly as long as head, bifid above, and with fringes 

 at the base; dorsal fin slightly emarginate, free from the caudal, 

 the spines rather stitf. Head very short and deep, its profile 

 nearly vertical; 24 teeth in each jaw; both jaws with very strong 

 canines. Gill membranes free from isthmus posteriorly. Eyes 

 very large, one third as long as head. I). XI, 17; A. 18. 



Color olive green, becoming darker above, with numerous 

 brown spots on cheeks and sides of body; below faintly reddish; 

 dorsal with a large black spot in front, behind which are some 

 smaller spots; spinous dorsal edged with paler. 



The seaweed blenny was obtained by De Kay in a voyage from 

 Constantinople to New York in 1831. He met the species 

 swimming about seaweed not far from the coast of New York 

 and made notes of it at the time, considering it as either a young 

 individual of some larger species or undescribed. This specimen 

 was not more than 1^ inches long. The type of the species was 

 taken south of the Azores. The coloration as stated by De Kay 

 is as follows: "Soiled greenish, changing to brownish above, 

 with numerous brown spots on the cheeks and side of the body; 



