Classification of the Blenni'oi'd Fishes. 271 



parietals separated by supraoccipital ; a basisphenoid ; para- 

 sphenoid lueeting alisphenoids ; exoccipital condyles wide 

 aparf. Post-temporal I'orked ; 2 post-cleitlua on eacli side ; 

 4 flattened radials inserted on liypercoracoid and liypo- 

 coracoid, which are in contact and well-developed, the latter 

 continued forward below the base of the pectoral. Pelvic 

 bones erect lamina? that meet above and enclose a chamber 

 between them. Vertebrae 34 to 57 (10-22 + 24-35) or more ; 

 prsecaudals with pavapophyses from the sixth or seventh to the 

 last. 



The principal genera are: Heteroslichus, Clinus, Gohio- 

 chnus, Sticharium, Emnion, Neoclinus, Einhlemaria^ Cristiceps, 

 ExerpeSj Auchenopteras, Tripterygiwn, Lepidohlennius^ from 

 tropical and temperate seas. 



Family 2. Dactyloscopidae. 



Body scaly; a single lateral line. Dorsal with the spinous 

 portion less extended than the soft ; anal long, preceded by 

 2 spines ; caudal free^ with 10 or 11 principal rays ; pectorals 

 broad-based, somewhat procurrent below ; pelvics jugular, 

 each of a sn)all spine and 3 simple articulated rays. Mouth 

 protractile ; jaws with bands of cardiform or villiform teeth ; 

 palate toothless. Operculum fringed ; gill-membranes nob 

 U!iited, free from the isthmus. Head-skeleton as in the 

 Clinidse, except that there is no basisphenoid ; parasphenoid 

 meeting frontals. Pectoral arch as in the Clinidai, except 

 that the hypercoracidd and hypocoracoid are separated and 

 the two lower radials are inserted on the cleitlirum (tig. 3, 1) ; 

 pelvic bones formed exactly as in the CliniJas. 



Four genera: Gillellus, Dactylo^copus^ Dacttjlagnusy and 

 Myxodugyius, from the coasts of tropical America. 



In Dactyloscopus tridigitatus I count 46 vertebrge (12 +'34) ; 

 there are 10 pairs of ribs, the last 7 inserted on parapaphyses. 



Family 3. Xiphidiontidae. 



Body covered with small scales; 3 or 4 lateral lines with 

 numerous vertical branches. Vertical fins confluent; dorsal 

 formed of spines only ; anal long; caudal with 15 branched 

 rays; pectorals small ; pelvics absent. Moutli small, scarcely 

 protractile ; jaws with conical or villiform teeth and with 

 anterior canines ; palate toothless. Gill-membranes united, 

 free from the isthmus. Head-skeleton as in the Clinida?, 

 except that there is no basisphenoid ; parasphenoid meeting 



