167 



SALIENT BLENNY. 



Blennius Saliens. B. fuscus, nigro striatus, cirro simplici intef 



oculosj pinnis pectoralibus maximis. 

 Brown Blenny streaked with black, with a simple cirrus on 



the head, and extremely large pectoral fins. 

 Le Blennie Sauteur. Cepede 2. p. 479. 



THIS small species was observed by Commerson 

 about the coasts of some of the Southern islands, 

 and particularly those of New Britain, in the month 

 of July 1768. It seems to be of a gregarious 

 nature, and is seen swimming by hundreds, and 

 as it were flying over the surface of the water, 

 occasionally springing up and down with great 

 rapidity among the rocks : it seems naturally formed 

 for the celerity of its movements; the pectoral fins 

 being very large in proportion to the body : they 

 are nearly of a circular form when expanded, and 

 when contracted reach almost as far as the vent on 

 each side. This approach in point of form to the 

 genera of Pegasus, Trigla, Scorpcena, Exocoetus, 

 and others possessed of the power of temporary 

 flight, seems, as Cepede observes, naturally to 

 indicate a similar property. The body is of a very 

 lengthened form., and greatly compressed on the 

 sides : the upper jaw longer than the lower, so that 

 the mouth seems to be placed underneath : the 

 eyes are seated near the top of the head, and are 

 large and round, with gold-coloured irides ; and on 

 the occiput rises a cartilaginous longitudinal pro- 

 cess, of a simple cylindric form, of about four 



