THE BLENNIES 



THESE are fishes with soft slimy skins, in which the scales are 

 very rudimentary or altogether absent. The dorsal fins occupy 

 the greater part of the length of the back, and may be con- 

 tinuous from end to end, and also with the tail-fin, or may be 

 partially divided into two or three distinct fins. The vent is 

 usually a little in front of the middle of the body, and the ventral 

 fin extends from thence to the base of the tail fin, or is continued 

 into the tail fin. The breast fins are rounded and large, the 

 throat fins either small and placed in front of the breast fins, or 

 absent altogether. 



Blennies belong especially to the shore, lurking about in 

 crevices of rocks, or between and under stones, or among sea- 

 weed, and are commonly found between tide-marks. They are 

 spread generally along the temperate and tropical coasts. The 

 sea-cats or cat-fishes are different from the majority of the 

 family, being of large size, and living in rather deep water. The 

 eggs of the blennies, if deposited at all, are, so far as is known 

 without exception of the fixed attached kind, adhering together 

 in masses, and undergoing development on the ground. But 

 the viviparous blenny brings forth its young alive. 



The British members of the family are : 



I. Species in which the dorsal fin is imperfectly divided 

 into two, and separate from the tail fin ; no scales ; pelvic fins 

 present. 



1. The Common Blenny or Shanny. Head smooth, 

 without any appendages ; notch between the two 

 divisions of the dorsal fin very slight. 



2. The Gattorugine. A fringed, fleshy tentacle above 

 each eye. 



