THE GENERA OF THE CLININ^. 75 



to a natural arrangement of the genus Clinus, as de- 

 scribed by M. Valenciennes. There are more than 

 twenty species_, presenting numerous variations in point 

 of structure. If we separate from this assemblage 

 those which have all the teeth velvety, we get two 

 distinct gTOups, one (^Labrisomus Nob.) having strong, 

 conic, and pointed teeth on the outer range, whUe the 

 inner are velvety ; and the other, Clinus Cuv., where 

 these external teeth are wanting. Other characters 

 drawn from the fins, mouth, &c., determine two other 

 genera, here named Blennophis and Clinitrachus, and 

 these, united to Tripterygion Risso, where the dorsals 

 are three, complete the circle of this sub-family, whose 

 contents and characters may be thus stated : — 



Characters of the genera in the sttb-famlly of the 



Clinin^. 



Genera. Characters. Types, 



rTeeth velvety; those in the'^ 

 Clinus Cuv ■) ^'■ont row scarcely, if at aU,f Clinus acuminatus 



y larger ; dorsal fin of nearly f C, and V. 

 i. equal breadth throughout. * 

 r Strong conic and pointed teeth 1 



I^riso^us Nob. ] ™e.h*blh£3fdoSanSfc.pec.i„lf» C. V. 

 t ginate behind. J 



rnp..ry^.-on Risso. p--\^f"« t»^^^-5 ^"^-^^] 



f Trachiniform ; dorsal fins two,") 



the first triangular ; all the Blennius variabilis 

 Clinitrachus ^o\i. \ rays of the dorsal, anal, [- "'fP"'^^ ^*"^™"^ 



I pectoral, and caudal fins spi- j ^^' 



\_ nous. J 



r Anguilliform, cylindrical; the^ 

 Blennophis Nob. ^ dorsal long, narrow, and un- > C. anguillaris C. V. 



L divided. j 



Now, as the first and the last of these forms are in 

 the suite of M. Valenciennes's series of the genus Cli- 

 nus , their affinity cannot be questioned. He remarks 

 also on the strong resemblance between Clinitrachus 



♦ Clinus argenteus C. V. I adopt Rafinesque's specific name, because it 

 is more expressive, and has the priority of a few months to that of Risso. 

 It is one of the most common species on the Sicilian coast. 



