184 MUR^NOID BLENNY. 



tawny : the mouth turned up, and white within : 

 the jaws are each beset with a double row of 

 sharp teeth: the tongue is obtuse, fleshy, and 

 thick: the fins black, fleshy, and soft: the dorsal 

 and anal equal, and abrupt on the hind part ; 

 and the two first rays of the ventral fins termi- 

 nate in a long bristle. This is not an eatable 

 fish, and it is said that wherever it appears the 

 other fishes retire. 



MUR^ENOID BLENNY. 



Blennius Muraenoides. E. fusco-cmerascens, subtus albidus, 



pinnis ventralibus umradiatis spinosis minimis. 

 Browni-sh ash-coloured Blenny , whitish beneath, with very 



small, single-rayed, spiny ventral fins. 

 Blennius Mursenoides. B. mcmbrana branchiostega triradiata, 



piwris ventralibus umradiatis spinosis minimis. Lin. Syst. Nat. 



Gmel.p. 1184. 



BODY compressed, sword-shaped, smooth, and 

 without visible scales : length about six inches : 

 colour cinereous brown, the head and belly paler ; 

 head marked by minute tubercles : front trian- 

 gular, rather convex :. mouth oblique: jaws equal, 

 with two rows of teeth : lateral line obscure : vent 

 in the middle of the abdomen : dorsal fin prickly : 

 pectoral and caudal oblong: vent fin equal. Na* 

 live of the northern seas ? 



