BLENNIES. 495 



tached anterior part. Ventral fins with two or three rays. A 

 tentacle above the orbit. Gill-openings wide. 



Sixty species are known from the tropical zone, extending 

 northwards to Madeira, southwards to Chile and Tasmania. 

 In certain individuals of some of the species a longitudinal 

 cutaneous crest is developed ; all young individuals lack it, 

 and in some other species it is invariably absent. Singularly 

 enough tliis crest is not always a sexual character, as one 

 might have supposed from analogy, but in some species at 

 least it is developed in both sexes. Mature males, however, 

 have generally higher dorsal fins and a more intense and 

 variegated coloration than females and immature males, as is 

 also the case in Blennius. 



Clinus — Body moderately elongate, covered with small scales; 

 snout rather short ; a narrow band or series of small teeth in the 

 jaws and on the palate. Dorsal fin formed by numerous spines 

 and a few soft rays, without a detached anterior portion ; anal 

 spines two. Ventrals with two or three rays. A tentacle above 

 the orbit. Gill-opening wide. 



Thirty species, from the coasts of tropical America and 

 the southern temperate zone. Three other genera are closely 

 allied to Clinus, viz. Cristiccps and Crcmnobatcs, in which the 

 three anterior dorsal spines are detached from the rest of the 

 iin ; and Tripterygium, Avitli three distinct dorsal fins, of 

 which the two anterior are spinous. The species of these 

 genera are as numerous as those of Clinus, occurring in many 

 parts of tropical seas, in the Mediterranean, and being espe- 

 cially well represented in South Australia and Kew Zealand. 



Stich^US. — Body elongate, covered with very small scales ; 

 lateral line more or less distinct, sometimes several lateral lines. 

 Snout short ; very small teeth in the jaws, and generally on the 

 palate. Dorsal fin long, formed by spines only. Ventrals with 

 two or three rays. Caudal fin distinct. Gill-openings rather 

 wide. 



