OVO-VIVIPAROUS FISHES. 6.^ 



truded. Tlie able author of the elaborate work on 

 Fishes in the Cabinet Cyclopaedia asserts, that all 

 the blennies— his Blennidce — are " altogether vivi- 

 parous." In his arrangement, this tribe or family is 

 very numerous, and he states repeatedly that they 

 all have this peculiarity. — (See Vol. ii. 10, 11, 182). 

 According to his own subsequent showing, however, 

 this statement is incorrect, his Blennophis being ovi- 

 parous (lb. 276) ; and hence the assertion, from 

 affirming too much, possesses little or no value. But 

 besides, the assertion directly contravenes the posi- 

 tive statement of many naturalists, M. Yalenciennes, 

 respecting the sub-family Blennoides^ of the great 

 work upon Fishes (agreeing generally with that of 

 the Cyclopaedia), remarks, — " Although I have exa- 

 mined a vast number of the females, nothing has 

 led me to conclude that these Blennies are vivi- 

 parous." Of a Gattoruginous Blenny Mr. Couch 

 remarks (apud Yarr., i. 257), " at the end of May 

 I have found it large with roe, some of a mulberry, 

 and others of a leaden colour; and M. Risso ex- 

 pressly affirms, that the females of certain kinds 

 have their ovaries full with more than a thousand 

 ova, differently coloured and spotted, which they 

 deposit towards the end of spring, or during sum- 

 mer."— (Cuv. & Yal., xi. p. 147.) We fear the 

 objection equally applies to the same author's state- 

 ment respecting the Loaches, his Colitidce, a large 

 family of the soft-rayed or Malacopterygeous group, 

 which he also alleges is entirely viviparous. — (Ut. 

 ant., i. 360 : ii 10. 190 rjOOV Be this however as 



