XXIII ACANTHOPTERYGII 709 
New Zealand. Three or four species, belonging to the genus 
Lepadogaster, are known to occur on the British coasts. The 
principal genera are Gobiesox, Chorisochismus, Sicyases, Cotylis, 
Lepadogaster, Trachelochismus, Diplocrepis, Crepidogaster, and 
Leptopterygius.' 
Fam. 9. Blenniidae.—Suborbitals often forming a more or 
less distinct subocular shelf; mouth moderate or large, more or 
less protractile, often bordered to a considerable extent by the 
maxillaries. Most of the praecaudal vertebrae with strong trans- 
verse processes supporting the ribs, which may bear epipleurals. 
Gill-membranes usually attached to isthmus; 6 or 7 branchiostegal 
rays; gills 4, a slit behind the fourth; pseudobranchiae usually 
present. Post-temporal forked; scapula and coracoid more or 
less developed, sometimes much reduced, the former pierced by 
a foramen; pectoral rays attached to 4 or 5 hour-glass-shaped 
pterygials, one or two of which are in contact with the coracoid. 
Ventral fins jugular, with not more than 4 rays, or absent. 
Body more or less elongate, sometimes Eel-shaped, naked or with 
small scales. Dorsal and anal fins elongate, the former constituted 
entirely of spines, or anteriorly of spines or non-articulated rays, 
and posteriorly of soft rays. Caudal fin usually distinct, with 
expanded hypural. 
A large family, mostly of small Marine Fishes, the arrange- 
ment of which still offers great difficulties. Whether the 
aberrant genera Cerdale and Ptilichthys deserve to be regarded as 
the types of distinct families cannot be decided until the 
skeleton has been examined. The species number about 350, 
from nearly all the seas, a few inhabiting fresh waters, and are 
referred to numerous genera, of which the following are the 
principal :—Gadopsis, Enneanectes, Heterostichus, Acanthoclinus, 
Clinus, Emmnion, Blennius, Chasmodes, Petroscirtes, Xiphasia, 
Anarrhichas, Pataecus, Salarias, ‘Ophioblennius, Anoplarchus, 
Xiphistes, Opisthocentrus, Chaenopsis, Pholedichthys, Lumpenus. 
Remains of Clinus and Blennius have been described from the 
Miocene, and the extinct genus Pterygocephalus, from the Upper 
Eocene, is regarded as allied to Clinus. 
The Blenniidae are mostly carnivorous, but a few are herbi- 
vorous ; some are viviparous (Clinws), others oviparous. Species 
1 On the habits and anatomy of the French species, cf. Guitel, Arch. Zool. 
Eapér. (2) vi. 1888, p. 423. 
