BLENNIUS ALPESTRIS. 65 



the caudal have undivided rays, and only the last rays of the dorsal and anal 

 fins are jointed. The vent lies within the anterior half of the fish ; behind it 

 is the urogenital papilla, which differs in form with the sex. The lateral line 

 at first lies above the pectoral fin, but behind that fin it bends down with a 

 strong curve to the middle of the side, but is not continuous to the tail ; and in 

 the variety Blennius pollmii it terminates behind the pectoral fin. The course 

 of the cephalic mucus-canal lies over the gill-opening, round the eye, and along 

 the lower jaw; and its direction, like that of the lateral canal of the body, 

 is made manifest by white pores. 



No matter how much the colour may vary, there are always black spots on 

 the head, and a row of fine black spots along the base of the dorsal fin, and 

 often there is a row of five or six black clouded spots along the back. A broad 



Fig. 27. BLENXirs VULGARIS (POLLINII). 



black longitudinal band is commonly seen on the anal fin. The ground colour 

 of the fish in life is greenish-grey or green. 



The males are distinguished by having a tufted papilla in connection with 

 the first two short rays of the anal fin. In the female there is no trace of a 

 tufted papilla, but in the corresponding region there are three openings, of 

 which that nearest to the first spine of the anal fin is urinaiy. The species is 

 not viviparous. The ovaries are large and symmetrical. 



The largest specimens are four inches long. The species is gregarious, 

 living in small shoals on a stony bottom, with habits like those of the Loach. 

 Its movements are very rapid. It spawns in the summer months. It is 

 valued for food, and has a white, well-flavoured flesh. 



It is met with in the Lago di Vrana (in Dalmatia), in the River Isonzo, 

 in the Lago di Garda, and other lakes of Northern Italy, in the Lake 

 Bracciano, in the Tiber, and in the River Oreto, near Palermo, in Sicily. In 

 France it is found in the department of Var, and is reported from other 

 parts of the south of France, but it does not occur in any other part of 

 Europe. Its common name in Italy is Cagnetto, in France Cagnette. 



A variety of this fish, which Professor Blanchard names Blennius alpestris, 

 occurs in a little river which falls into the Lake of Bourget, in Savoy. The 

 5 



