ORDER I. BONY FISHES. ACANTHOPTERYGII (SPINY-FINS). 161 
Thinness and flexibility of the dorsal spines are the peculiar characteris. 
tics of this family. The genera are quite numerous. 
Briennius. — “ The Blennies have one well-marked characteristic in their 
ventral fins, inserted before the pectorals, and having only two rays each. 
They live in small troops, among rocks near the coast, swimming and leap- 
ing, and can exist for some time without water. Their skin is covered with 
a mucous secretion, whence they have their common name, Blennies. Many 
of them are viviparous, bringing forth their young alive, fully formed, and 
capable of subsisting by themselves.” 
There are several species —all small fishes, and of no value to man. 
The B. phadlis is said to be remarkably tenacious of life, being capable of 
living many days if kept in moist grass or moss. 
From this genus, the following sub-genera have been separated : — 
Myxodes, with a lengthened head and pointed muzzle; Salarias, an in- 
habitant of the Indian Ocean; Clinus, with short-pointed teeth in several 
rows; Cirrhibarba has a little filament over the eye, one in the nostril, 
three longer ones at the end of the muzzle, and eight under the point of the 
lower jaw. It is found in Oriental seas; Jurcnoides, the Spotted Gun- 
nel, has the ventral smaller than in the others, and the body lengthened like 
a sword-blade. It is eaten by the Greenlanders ; Opistognathus has the 
short snout of the true Blennies, rasp-like teeth, and three rays in the ven- 
trals, which are directly under the pectorals. It belongs to the Indian 
Ocean; Zoarcus comes nearer to the true Blennies, though it has but one 
spinal ray; Z. dabrosus is an American fish, of an olive color, with brown 
spots, and specimens are sometimes found three feet in length ; Anarrichas, 
the last of this series, is an extraordinary fish. “The whole body is soft 
and slimy; the parietal bones, vomer, and mandibles are hard, with stout, 
bony tubercles, surmounted by small, enamelled teeth; but the front teeth 
are much larger and conical. This structure of the teeth gives them an 
armature which, added to their large size, makes them both fierce and 
dangerous fishes.” 
One species, 4. lupus, the Sea-wolf, inhabits the northern seas, and is 
often met with. It is six or seven fect long, of a brown color. Its flesh is 
like that of the eel, and is salted by the Icelanders for food. 
The Anarrhicas lupus has six rows of grinders in each jaw, excellently 
adapted for bruising the crabs, lobsters, scallops, and large whelks, which 
this voracious animal grinds to pieces, and swallows along with the shells. 
When caught, it fastens, with indiscriminate rage, upon anything within its 
reach, fighting desperately, even when out of its own element, and inflicting 
severe wounds if not cautiously avoided. © Schinfeld relates that it will 
seize on an anchor, and leave the marks of its teeth behind, and Steller 
