THE VIVIPAROUS BLENNY. 237 



it is seldom if ever made use of except to bait lines with. 

 It feeds on minute Crustacea and small fry, and is said to 

 be destructive to the eggs of other fishes. 



This fish might probably be confounded with Blennhis 

 YarreUii of Cuvier, a rare British species, but the want of 

 appendages on the head will sufficiently distinguish it. 



Gexus ZOARCES. — Body elongated, eel-shaped, with 

 a single dorsal fin, composed of flexible branched rays ; 

 ventral fins of three rays, placed before the pectorals; teeth 

 in two rows in front of each jaw ; none on the vomer or pa- 

 latines ; dorsal and caudal fins continuous. 



ZoARCEs vrvjpARus.* — The Viviparous Blknny. 



Specific Character. — Dorsal fin abbreviated near the caudal ex- 

 tremity. 



Description. — From a specimen six inches in length. Body com- 

 pressed behind, gradually tapering from the nape to the tip of the 

 tail ; sides smooth^ covered with a mucous secretion ; head one-sixth 

 of the whole length, and about twice the depth of the body, not in- 

 cluding fins. Colour of the back and sides yellowish-brown, mot- 

 tled with dark olive ; when young, lateral line, and below it, spotted 

 with white, which is not visible in the adult. Dorsal fin composed 

 of flexible rays, branched at their summits, commencing over the 

 base of the pectorals, extending down the back to be continuous 

 with the caudal rays, when it becomes suddenly depressed, giving 

 an appearance as if a piece had been cut out ; from this part to the 

 nape the rays gradually increase in height. Anal fin commencino- 

 in a line under the twenty-sixth dorsal ray, and extendino- down to 

 be continuous with the caudal rays ; the rays gradually diminishing 

 in height from the third. Pectorals large and rounded ; ventrals 

 small, composed of only three rays, placed before the base of the 

 pectorals. Lips long and tliin, the upper one entire, the lower one 

 bilobed ; when folded back, having the appearance as if thick and 

 fleshy. Operculum triangular ending in a point, directing over the 

 base of the first ray of the pectorals. Teeth small, conical, and 

 blunt; placed a little apart from each other; situated in two rows in 



• Zoarcesr^riparus^Cn\•..^&n. Zoiirois viinparus, Yarr. B/ennii/s vim. 

 parus. Pen., Don. Eelpout. Gnffer, Greenlwne, Bards, Afarnna Eel. 



