BUnniei, Species of. 181 



found its way to London and the provinces, where, retailed 

 skinned, it frequently passes under the name of "Devonshire 

 salmon." Its great teeth and fierce aspect have long stood in 

 the way of its sale; so with head cut off it appears at the fish- 

 mongers, and customers then readily purchase it cut in thick slices. 

 These are the " rock salmon " of Southend restaurants menu. 



(2.) The BUTTERFLY BLENNY (Blennius oce1lnrin>i),iu contra- 

 distinction to the last, is a southern form, and seldom attains 

 more than several inches in length. The eye-spot on its back 

 tin is a characteristic mark. It has been detected by Mr. Hors- 

 naill at Dover, the only locality in our District that we are 

 aware of. 



(3.) The GrATTORCGiNE (B. gattorugine) is another of the 

 southern Blennies a rarity with us; indeed its presence is founded 

 on two specimens in Essex waters. It is usually a deep water, 

 rocky ground form, and locally named " Tompot " in Cornwall, 

 being well known as a thiever of the crabpots. Larger than 

 the last, it yet does not exceed 9 inches in length. One about 

 half that size, supposed to be the first record of its presence in 

 East Anglia, is noted by Patterson in the Zoologist, 1899, as 

 having been caught on the 21st May by a shrimper near Yar- 

 mouth. But Mr. Fitch (ibid.) shortly afterwards pointed out 

 the taking of one by S. Wright, off Stansgate, up the Black- 

 water, 19th August, 1898, this one being 5^ inches long. 



Such another example of the same size (51 in.) was 

 brought up in Gr. Gilson's trawl in deepish water S. of the 

 Nore in the first week of September, 1899. It closely resembled 

 Dr. Day's fig. Brit. Fish. I. PL 59, the darker cross-barring 

 being more pronounced. It was a female, with undeveloped 

 ovary. Food, comminuted shells and fleshy remains mixed 

 with particles of sand and traces of seaweed, besides chalky 

 granules like lenses of fish or crustacean eyes. 



(4.) The BUTTER-FISH or Gunnel (Centronotus gunnellus) is so 

 far appropriately named, for with its yellowish tint and slimy 

 body, it is about as slippery as the eel in the hand when alive 



i2 



