CLASS Y. PISCES: ORDER 3. TELEOSTEA, 



449 



THE SHANN1-. 



Genus BLENNIUS : Blennius.—ThU includes several species, some of which produce living 



young, which are able to take care of 

 '^^^y^/^''///',-/^.y . themselves from their birth. They 



4^"^- li^'^' along the rocky shores of tlie sea, 

 and arc often found in rock-pools left 

 by the retiring tide. 



The Shanny, B. pholh, is a very 

 curious species, five inches long, remark- 

 able for creeping out of the water with 

 their pectoral fins and hiding them- 

 selves in holes among the rocks, where 

 they remain till the return of the tide ; 

 it is said they can live out of water for 

 thirty hours; they immediately die, 

 however, on being put into fresh water. 

 Found on the Bi'itish coast. 



The OcELLATED Blenny Or BuT- 

 TERFLY-FisiT, B. occllaris, is three to 

 four inches long, the color pale-brown, 

 lives among weeds, and feeds on Crusta- 

 cea ; common in the Mediterranean. 



C)ther European species are tho 

 ^1^ Gattoruginous Blenny, B. gattoru- 



^^^^■^>■^A' 



THE OCELLATED BLENNY. 



^«P 



MONTAGUS BLEXXV. 



g'lne ; the Crested Blenny, ^.2^a/??r«- 

 cornis^ and Montagu's Blenny, B. 

 Monlacjui. Two or three species are 

 found on our coasts. 



Genus MURENOIDES: Murenoi- 

 des. — To this belongs the Spotted Gunnel or Butter-Fish, M. guttata, so called on account 



of the mucous secretion with which its sides 

 are covered ; it is ten inches long, and has a 

 long, sword-shaped body ; it is found in pools 

 left by the tide, and occasionally under stones or 

 sea-weed; common in Europe. The American 

 Butter-Fish, Gunndlus mucronatus, resembles 

 THE SPOTTED GUNNEL. the prcccding. 





THE LOPHIID^, 



Most of these fishes have a large head and a short, stout body, terminated by a slender tail. 



They are covered with a naked 

 skin, usually roughened with warts 

 and tubercles, and can sustain a 

 considerable absence from water. 



Genus LOITIIUS: Lophius. — 

 To this belongs the Fishing- 

 Frog, L. piscatorius, three to fivo 

 feet long. It has an enormous 

 mouth, armed with numerous 

 pointed teeth. It is exceedingly 

 voracious, and has been known to 

 seize a cod just as it was being 

 drawn out of water by a hook, and 

 only let go its hold on receiving a severe blow upon the head. It also has a method of catch- 



VoL. II.— 57 



THE FISHING-FROO. 



