IRE BLEXXIES. 99 



The Wolf-fish, or Catrfish (Anarrhichas lupus), is found on the temperate coasts of northern 

 Europe and North America, and ranges northward to Greenland. Armed with formidable teeth, 

 and having eyes which are placed much like those of a Cat, its aspect is ferocious. It fights des- 

 perately when captured, and is usually killed with blows on the head. The fish has a disagreeable 

 smell, but the skin, which is covered with slime, is sometimes made into bags. The liver is .said to 

 be delicious, and the flesh is valued for food in Norway and Sweden. It is often taken on lines 

 set for Cod, for its usual food consists of mollusca and crustacean animals, which the molar teeth 

 on the palate and hinder parts of the lower jaws enable it easily to crush. It is a rapid swimmei 1 , 

 but lives on the bottom among the rocks. Its usual length does not exceed three feet, but individuals 

 are sometimes as much as six or seven feet long. The colour is brownish -grey, crossed with bands, 

 and speckled with dark spots ; the belly is white. The dorsal fin extends the length of the body, and 

 the anal fin runs along its posterior half. There are no ventral fins, and the pectoral fin is broad 

 and rounded, and like the caudal fin. 



The fishes forming the genus Blennius have a general resemblance to the Cat-fish, owing to 

 the shortness of the snout and the way in which the dorsal and anal fins extend along the body. 

 There are several species in British seas, all of which, except the Smooth Blenny, have crests on the 

 head. Blennius yattorugine is rather rare northwards, but more abundant farther south and in 

 the Mediterranean. It seldom exceeds a length of nine inches. The Butterfly B'.onny (Uiennlns 



lil'TTERFLY BLKXXY. 



ocellaris) has a remarkably short snout, with long curved teeth in both jaws. The spirious part of 

 the dorsal fin is long, and has on its hinder part a large round black spot with a white edge. It 

 is a small species, rarely more than three inches long, lives among weeds, and feeds on shell-fish 

 and minute Crustacea. It also ranges southward into the Mediterranean. Montagu's Blenny is a- 

 somewhat smaller species, and has a transverse crest on the head. The Smooth Blenny (Blennius 

 pholts) is commonly known as the Shanny ; it has no appendage on the head, the dorsal fin is 

 distinctly notched and not continuous with the caudal fin ; the colour is olive-green, with irregular 

 black spots. One that was kept in confinement devoured spiders and caterpillars, molluscs, roast 

 beef, mutton, fowl, and, in fact, any food that was offered to it. Its colour always became dark 

 when the water wfts changed. Its eyes are capable of moving independently of each other. The eggs- 

 are of amber colour and semicircular outline. Its long incisor teeth are used to separate Limpets. 

 Mussels, and other shell-fish from the rocks. It is capable of living out of water for many days 



