180 VIVIPAROUS BLENNY. 



vent is situated in the middle of the abdomen, and 

 the vent fin, which is shallow, is continued from 

 thence to the tail ; being marked in its progress by 

 several small dusky spots near its base: the tail 

 is small and of a rounded shape : the colour of 

 the body is yellow -brown, clouded and freckled with 

 deeper specks : the skin is extremely slippery, and 

 the rays of the back fin are strong and pungent. 

 This fish inhabits similar situations with the B. 

 Pholis ; is of similar manners, and like that species 

 is used by the fishermen as a bait. It is however 

 eaten by the Greenlanders, who often dry it for 

 that purpose. It is said to swim with considerable 

 rapidity. Dr. Bloch observes that the specific 

 character given by Linnceus cannot be admitted as 

 sufficiently exact, since the number of spots on 

 the back fin is not constantly ten, but varies from 

 nine to twelve. 



VIVIPAROUS BLENNY. 



Blennius Viviparus. B. olivaceus subtus albidus, supra fusco 



svbfasciatus, naribus tubulosis. 

 Olivaceous Bleniiy^ whitish beneath, subfasciated above with 



brown, and with tubular nostrils. 

 Blennius viviparus. jB. ore tentaculis duobus, Lin. Syst. Nat. 



p. 443. 



Viviparous Blenny. Penn. Brit, ZooL 3. pi. 37- 

 Mustela vivipara. Will. p. 122. Bloch. pi 72. 



This species is considerably larger than either 

 the Pholis or Giwnellus, being sometimes found of 

 ttie length of twelve inches. It is of a moderately 



