374 MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



BLENNIUS. BLENNy. 



Generic character. 



Head sloping. Body lengthened, sub-compressed, lubricous. Gill 

 membrane six rayed. Ventral fins two, three, or four rayed, unarmed. 

 * With plain head. 



1. Fringed Blenny. (Blennius ciliatus.^) With green-tipped teeth, 

 white-bordered fins, and caudal fin united to the anal. 



Length about twenty inches. In March, 1813, a considerable num- 

 ber of these fishes were exhibited in the New-York market. The 

 head was large and shelving. Upper jaw projected over the lower, and 

 received the lower within it. Teeth two rowed in the front of the 

 lower jaw, and three rowed in the upper. Their points roundish and 

 greenish. Chin smooth. 



Dorsal fin reaches from the back of the head almost to the tail. 

 Caudal fin united to the anal, and continued along to the vent. Ven- 

 tral fins small, smooth, tapering to points, and not digitated nor branch- 

 ed. All the fins yellow almost to their edges, and there they are 

 fringed all round with a white border. 



Gill membrane has six rays ; and the pectoral fins about twenty. 

 The fish was good eating ; but the bones, after cooking, neither turned 

 green, nor became phosphorescent. Nor has the least further tint of 

 greenness appeared from that time to this. 



2. Smooth Blenny. (Blennius pholis.) With unadorned head, even 

 body, brown line, with whitish marks lengthwise, and a half way lateral 

 line. 



The specimen now before me was brought immured between the 

 shells of a dead oyster, from Chesapeake bay, in March, 1814. The 

 length was three inches and a quarter; and the depth three quarters 

 of an inch. 



