166 FASCIATED BLENNY. 



by Linnaeus and some others * as having two dor- 

 sal fins ; but Artedi and Bloch consider it as having 

 in reality only one, the sinking in of the middle 

 part, being in some specimens much deeper than 

 in others, seems to be the cause of this difference of 

 opinion. 



FASCIATED BLENNY. 



Blennius Fasciatus. E.fusco-Jla'cescens ) fascns transversisfoscis, 



cirris duobus simplicibus inter oculos. 

 Yellowish brown Blenny, with transverse brown bands, and 



two simple cirri between the eyes. 

 Blennius fasciatus. B. pinnulis simplidbus duabus inter oculos t 



pinna ani radiis novendecim. Bloch. pi. 162. f. 1. 



THIS fish, says Dr. Bloch, is distinguished from 

 the rest by its simple filaments, by a pair of tufts 

 situated between the eyes, and by having nineteen 

 rays in the anal fin : the head is small and sloping : 

 the body broad in front, and taper behind : the 

 lateral line, which runs pretty near the back, is 

 strait : the belly is thick : the vent placed nearer 

 the head than the tail : the body covered with a 

 viscid mucus : the rays of the tail subdivided, those 

 of the other fins simple. Dr. Bloch makes no men- 

 tion of the colour of this species, but his figure 

 represents it of a pale yellowish brown, fasciated 

 both across the body and dorsal fin with dusky 

 bands. Its length is about six inches. Native of 

 the Indian seas. 



* , Cepede describes two dorsal fins, but observes that they are 

 sometimes so closely placed as to appear but one*- 



