282 CLASSIFICATION OP I'lSHES, ETC. 



Family 8. BATRACHID.E. Blenny Bullheads. 



Head broader than the body_, obtuse^ depressed, fleshy, 

 with slender appendages or cu-ri, and a few concealed 

 prickles on the gills^ but without distinct spines or 

 bony tubercles ; scales small^ regular, but sometimes 

 embedded in the skin, and not visible externally ; pec- 

 torals broad, obtuse, not pedunculated ; branchial aper- 

 ture narrow or spiraculated ; ventral fins very small, 

 with two to three round rays ; all the fins enveloped 

 in the common skin of the body ; operculum with a 

 few small concealed prickles j mouth wide, but not 

 vertical ; caudal rounded. * 



Batrachus Lac. Head broader than the body, which 

 is covered with minute scales and short slender cirri ; 

 dorsal fins two ; the first short, triangular, and 

 spinous j ventral fins thick, two-rayed. 

 Dussumieri. Cuv. pi. 367. 



Amphichthys >S'm?. Body without visible scales ; dorsal 

 fin single ; ventral fin pointed, of two thick and short 

 rays ; in each jaw a single row of teeth, irregular 

 in size, straggling, and very obtuse, those at the tip 

 of the lower jaw sharp and incurved, 

 rubigenes, Sw. Appendix. 



Family 9- CHIRID^. 



All the dorsal rays slender ; body compressed, with 

 ventrals distinct ; several lateral lines formed of series 

 of pores on the sides. 



Chirus Steller. Body rather lengthened ; scales cili- 

 ated ; head small, unarmed ; mouth slightly cleft ; 

 teeth small, unequal, conical ; dorsal fin single, ex- 

 tending the whole length of the back ; the spines very 



* This definition will separate this group from those which, from having 

 the pectorals pedunculated, are arranged nith the Lophidts: there is, indeed, 

 a strong resemblance between the two, but this is at once explained by the 

 analogous representation they give of each other. They all, however, re- 

 quire a thorough revision. 



