394 



APPENDIX- 



and dots of bright blue ; tips of the anal rays pure 

 white. 



Dorsal 12, 16 ; pectoral 14; ventral 2 ; anal 19 ; caudal 12. 



Inhabits Sicily. 



This most beautiful little fish is closely allied to Blennius 

 Sphpix (ilist. Nat. des Poiss. xi. 226. 'pi. 321.); but it is 

 longer in proportion. The bands on the body are not mar- 

 gined by a line of silvei*, but of bright blue ; there are no 

 silvery spots on the dorsal or caudal, and the general ground- 

 colour of the whole fish is not yellowish green, but olive brown. 

 There is no " large ocellated spot, bordered with red, on the 

 temples," as in B. Sphynx, nor any " silvery lines, bordered 

 with black, on the sides of the head and operculum ; " these 

 lines being simply bright blue in the present species, which 

 is here figured of the natural size. 



Description. — Teeth sharp, long, close together; a long, sharp, and 

 incurved canine tooth in each jaw near the gape or angle of the rictus ; 

 nostril single, with a very small palmate, four-cleft membrane : another, 

 over each eye, is simple, rounded, and pointed at the tip. The above figure, 

 taken from a fresh specimen caught on the coast of Palermo, renders a more 

 lengthened description of the fins, &c. unnecessary. Colour. — Body 

 and fins, except the ventrals, which are yellow, variegated with different 

 shades of rich olivaceous brown ; the six dark waved bands on the body 

 are edged with a bright line of blue ; head, throat, and base of the pectorals 

 with dark irregular bands, the cheeks having se%'eral lines, and the lips and 

 front speckled with bright blue. The bands and spots on the dorsal and 

 caudal fins are dark purpled brown ; anal pale rufous brown, with a series 

 of white spots, the margins being black, and the tips of the rays white ; 

 all these rays are simple; those of the pectoral, nearest the throat, are 

 much the strongest ; and all these, as well as the anal rays, extend beyond 

 the membrane which connects them ; ventral fins orange yellow, divided 

 at the end ; belly whitish; lower part of the sides, between the bands, yellow ; 

 caudal margined with yellow. Palermo, luth Feb. 1815. 



ELEOTRIS Skulus. 

 Pale rufous^ spotted with darker ; dorsal fins whitish, 



