316 



MUR.ENID.E. 



" This fish," Colonel Montagu observes, " does not ap- 

 pear to be very tenacious of life, like some of the Blennies, 

 as it was placed in a tin box with the Crested and Smooth 

 Blenny, covered with wet seaweed, and although these were 

 lively, the Ophidium was dead before it could be got to his 

 house. It died with its mouth shut, the pectoral fins thrown 

 forward, and the body curved a little near the vent, throwing 

 the head upwards." 



" Little can be said of the natural habits of this fish ; but 

 as it so rarely occurs, it is most probably an inhabitant of the 

 rocky parts ; in such a situation, at low- water, the specimen 

 here described was taken." 



But little being known either of Montagu's or Pennant's 

 Ophidium, the figure at the head of this subject is taken from 

 Montagu's figure, and the outline at the foot of the preced- 

 ing page is taken from Pennant's first figure, which Schneider 

 appears to have adopted as the representative of the genus 

 Ophidium in his Ichthyological work. 



The Ophidium barbatum, or Bearded Ophidium, has also 

 been included by Berkenhout in his Catalogue of British 

 Fishes ; but whether on the personal authority of that au- 

 thor, or on what part of the British coast it was observed, no 

 mention is made. The figure below is a representation of 

 the Bearded Ophidium ; and the three woodcuts here given 

 may assist investigators, should any species of Ophidium 

 come to their hands. 



