The Blennies: Blenniide 723 
flexible, only the posterior ones being short and stiff. The 
snake-blennies (Lumpenus), numerous in the far North, are 
extremely slender, with well-developed pectorals and ventrals. 
Lumpenus lampetreformis is found on both shores of the Atlantic. 
In Sticheus a lateral line is present. There is none in Lumpe- 
nus, and in Ernogrammus and Oszorthe there are three. All 
these are elongate fishes, of some value as food and especially 
characteristic of the Northern seas. Fossil blennies are almost. 
unknown. Pterygocephalus paradoxus of the Eocene resembles 
Fic. 627.—Ozorthe dictyogramma (Hertzenstein), a Japanese blenny from Hakodate: 
showing increased number of lateral lines, a trait characteristic of many fishes 
of the north Pacific. 
the living Cristiceps, a genus which differs from Clinus in having 
the first few dorsal spines detached, inserted on the head. The 
first spine alone in Pterygocephalus is detached and is very 
strong. A species called Clinus gracilis is described from the 
Miocene near Vienna, Blennius fossilis from the Miocene of Cro- 
Fig. 628.—Sticheus punctatus Fabricius St. Michael, Alaska. 
atia, and an uncertain Oncolepis isseli from Monte Bolca. The 
family is certainly one of the most recent in geologic times. 
The family of Blenniide, as here recognized, includes a very 
great variety of forms and should perhaps be subdivided into 
several families, as Dr. Gill has suggested. At present there 
is, however, no satisfactory basis of division known. 
The Quillfishes: Ptilichthyide.— The Ptilichthyide, or quill- 
fishes, are small and slender blennies of the North Pacific, with 
