754 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



tLern {Clininw) are ovoviviparous. Professor Gill divides this group 

 into several families {Anarrhichadidcc, Blenniidce, Cehedichthyidw, XipM- 

 diontidce, Sfichcvidcc, and CryptacantMdce, but the second, third, fourth, 

 and fifth of these groups at least are very closely allied. Genera about 

 40; species about 250. 



(BlenniidcB pt. Giinther, iii, 506-294.) 



* Molar teeth none. 



a, Teeth long and slender, curved, hook-like or comb-like: in front of jaws only; 



body naked ; dorsal with many soft rays ; 

 ventral fins well developed. Species 

 carnivorous, oviparous, chiefly tropical. 

 {Blermiinco.) 

 I. Anterior teeth canine-like, unequal; some of the teeth movable; others angu- 

 larly bent ; gill-membranes free from isth- 

 mus Ophioblennius, 401. 



hi. Anterior teeth comb-like, equal ; teeth all fixed, 

 c. Gill-membranes broadly united to the isthmus, the gill-openings restricted to 



the sides, 



d. Mouth latge, the head rather pointed ; no canines Chasmodes, 402. 



dd. Mouth small ; the head decurved in profile. 



e. Canine teeth none ,. Isesthes, 403, 



ee. Canine teeth present in one or both jaws posteriorly. 



Hypleurochilus, 404. 

 cc. Gill-membranes free from the isthmus, or at least forming a fold across it; 



posterior canines present . . Blennius, 405. 

 aa. Teeth conic, not comb-like. 

 /. Body scaly. 



g. Lateral line present (or more or less obsolete), single, high in front, 



abruptly curved above pectorals, becom- 

 ing median posteriorly ; dorsal fin with 

 one or more soft rays; gill-membranes 

 free from isthmus; ventrals well devel- 

 oped. Species carnivorous, ovovivii^a- 

 rous, chiefly tropical. {Clinina!.) 

 h. Soft dorsal of numerous rays; scales small. 

 i. Maxillary greatly developed, reaching far beyond eye ; teeth on 



vomer aud palatines Neoclinus, 406. 



a. Maxillary moderate. 



j. Air-bladder obsolete ; caudal fin rounded Clinus, 407. 



ii. Air-bladder large ; caudal forked ; teeth on palatines. 



Heterostichus, 408. 

 hh. Soft dorsal of a single ray ; scales rather large ; a notch behind 

 third spine of dorsal. 



Cremxobates, 409. 

 gg. Lateral line, if present, straight, concurrent with the back; some- 

 times branched or duplicated. 

 k. Mouth horizontal or nearly so. 



I. Gill'Openings not continued forward below, the membranes 

 broadly united, free from isthmus or not; 

 ventral fins very small or wanting. Spe- 

 cies carnivorous or herbivorous; ovipa- 

 rous (?) Arctic or subarctic. {Xi^histe- 

 rinoB,) 



