162 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — GOBIADiE. 



as the Suckers and Remoras, which Cuvier places 

 among his Malacopterygii. The number of 

 species contained in the group, if we exclude 

 these three Families, are given by the Italian 

 zoologist as four hundred and eight, a vast in- 

 crease upon the number recognised in 1831, when, 

 according to the same authority, the Family con- 

 tained one hundred and seventy three species. 



The bodies of these fishes are generally soft 

 to the touch, and invested with a mucous slime ; 

 hence the name applied to one of the great sub- 

 divisions, the term Blenny being derived from 

 the Greek BXsvva, signifying mucus; and the 

 provincial appellations of some of the species, 

 as Butter-fishes, &c., allude to the same pecu- 

 liarity. 



The Gohiadce have either one lengthened dorsal 

 or two : the rays which are spinous are so in 

 a less degree than in any other tribe of this 

 Order, being remarkable for slenderness and flexi- 

 bility. Few, if any, of this species have robust 

 rigid rays in any of the fins. The ventrals mani- 

 fest peculiarities of structure : they either con- 

 sist of two or three small rays, or are enveloped 

 in a thick skin, or are so united as to make a 

 funnel-shaped cup, or are totally wanting. In 

 general these fins are situated in front of the 

 line of the pectorals. All the species have a long 

 uniform, intestinal canal, destitute of caeca ; the 

 air-bladder is generally wanting. 



The genera are widely scattered ; they are 

 found in all the seas of both hemispheres, from 

 the polar oceans to the equator ; one genus is 

 confined to the Indian coast, another to the Mo- 

 lucca loles, and another to the Sea of Kamschatka : 



