BLENNIUS.] PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT. 379 



ocellated spot was so ill-defined, that he was led to suspect it may some- 

 times be altogether wanting. He observed that those in which the ocel- 

 lated spot was most perfect, had the first dorsal ray very long. Not an 

 uncommon species in the Mediterranean. 



54. B. Gattorugine, Mont. (Gattoruginous Blenny.) 

 Head with two appendages : dorsal nearly even through- 

 out, continuous with the caudal. 



B. Gattorugine, Mont, in lYern. Mem. vol. n. p. 447. Flem. 

 Brit. An. p. 206. Gattorugine, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 132. c. xx. 

 tab. H. 2. f. 2. Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 207. pi. 35. no. 91. 

 Gattoruginous Blenny, Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 226. 



LENGTH. From five to seven inches, sometimes more. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Snout not so obtuse as in the last species, the 

 profile falling more gradually: teeth even throughout, the last in the 

 series not longer than the others : eyes very high on the cheeks, rising 

 above the level of the crown ; the intervening space longitudinally im- 

 pressed with a deep sulcus, conducting to another placed transversely 

 immediately behind the eyes ; beyond this is a slight gibbosity in front of 

 the dorsal fin : over each eye a broad compressed tentaculiform appendage, 

 much palmated on both its margins, in length more than one-third that 

 of the head : lateral line as in the B. ocellaris : dorsal extending the 

 whole length of the body, and uniting with the base of the caudal ; nearly 

 even throughout, having only a slight indentation about the middle; 

 posteriorly somewhat rounded; the first thirteen rays soft but not articu- 

 lated, the first and thirteenth being the shortest; fourteenth one-third 

 longer than the preceding ; this and all the succeeding ones articulated *, 

 but simple : anal commencing under the thirteenth ray of the dorsal, not 

 extending quite so far as that fin, and leaving a small space between 

 it and the caudal : this last as in the B. ocellaris : pectorals equalling 

 the head in length ; all the rays simple ; the two middle ones longer than 

 the others : ventrals of only two simple articulated rays, without even the 

 rudiment of a third ; the inner ray longer and stouter than the outer one : 



D. 13/20 ; A. 23; C. 11, and two short; P. 14; V. 2. 



(Colours.) "Plain rufous brown, without any markings, paler on the 

 belly, as far as the vent : throat and fins orange-red, except the base of 

 the dorsal and pectorals : hides, and cirrhi over the eyes, orange." MONT. 

 The species of this genus, especially the British ones, have hitherto 

 been but ill-determined. There is reason to believe that two or more 

 have been confounded under the name of B. Gattorugine. The above 

 description, from a specimen taken at Weymouth, appears to agree with 

 the Gattorugine of Willughby and Pennant, which is probably quite 

 distinct from the species described by Linnaeus under that namef. It 

 also accords with the B. Gattorugine of Montagu, and of Fleming, who 

 copies from him, but not with that of Donovan, as hereafter shown. Ap- 

 parently not very common, at least on all parts of the coast. Pennant's 

 specimen was taken on the coast of Anglesea : Montagu's in a crab-pot 

 on the south coast of Devon. Others have since occurred in Cornwall to 

 Mr. Couch. Mr. Yarrell has also specimens from Poole Harbour, and 

 from other localities on the south coast. 



* The articulations are not easily seen, except the membrane investing the rays be dissected 

 iff, and the fin viewed against a strong light. 

 t On this point, sec Bull, des Set. Nat, 1828. torn, xv, no. 120. 



