FRIES’S GOBY. 
249 
the number of the branchiostegal rays, stated at 4, in 
Gob. Lesueurii, are apparently the only characters that 
distinguish these forms". 
Compared with the body of the Black Goby, that 
of Gobius Friesii is more elongated and shows stronger 
lateral compression. The greatest depth of the body is 
between 1 / 6 and V 7 of the length thereof'', and the great- 
est, thickness, across the base of the opercula, is only 
°/ 7 of the former. The least depth in our specimens, 
which are from 91 to 95 mm. long, is between 1 / li and 
1 15 of the length. The length of the head is about 
V 5 of that of the body. The occiput is flat, and with- 
out any middle groove, but, relatively narrow. The eyes 
are very close together at the top, being separated only 
by a narrow, bony strip of the forehead. Their longi- 
tudinal diameter is 1 / 3 of the length of the head 0 . The 
mouth is turned somewhat sharply upwards, and the 
length of the lower jaw is 48 % of that of the head. 
The lower jaw also projects distinctly beyond the tip 
of the upper jaw. 
The dermal papillae on the head which belong to 
the system of the lateral line, are large and prominent, 
according to Collett d . They seem to be arranged 
essentially in the same way as in the preceding species. 
On the cheeks below the eye four, almost parallel lines 
run back from the region behind the nostrils; and the 
two lines on the under surface of the lower jaw bend 
upwards along the hind margin of the preoperculum, 
where they extend even farther up than in the pre- 
ceding species. There is also a perpendicular row along 
the base of the operculum. This row contains 20 pa- 
pillae, and from the twelfth, counting from the top, 
runs the horizontal row to the hind margin of the 
operculum. On each side of the snout there are two 
parallel rows in a backward direction from the posterior 
nostril; but these rows unite between the eyes, and 
then form two rows, diverging from each other, on the 
top of the head. There are also two parallel rows in 
a backward direction from the hind margin of each 
eye; and, lastly, there are short, vertical rows just above 
the insertion of the pectoral fins. 
The scales on the top of the head behind the eyes 
are ctenoid and those on the front part, of the back 
are almost as large as those on the upper part of the 
body, which are distinguished from the scales of the 
preceding species by their greater breadth, the greater 
number of their fan-like strife and the weaker bristles 
at their hind margin. These scales are deciduous. Their 
number in a transverse row upwards from the beginn- 
ing of the anal fin is 6, and, according to Collett, in 
a row along the sides of the body about 25. 
In this species too, the anal papilla is well-devel- 
oped. 
The two dorsal fins are distinctly separated, even 
in the male. The distance between the anterior dorsal 
fin and the tip of the snout is from 25 to 26 1 / 2 % of 
the length of the body. In this fin are 6 rays, the first 
five being of fairly uniform length (in the female?) or, 
as in one of our two specimens 0 , the first, of all being 
prolonged into a filament, and of about the same length 
as the head. The distance between the beginning of 
the first, dorsal fin and that of the second is 16 or 17 
% of the length of the body. The base of the latter 
fin measures from about, 26 to 27 1 / 2 % of the length 
of the body, and the base of the anal fin from 18 to 
20 % thereof. The mutual position of these fins, as 
well as their position with regard' to the rest of the 
body, is the same as in the preceding species. In other 
respects the figure, drawn by v. Weight with his well- 
known accuracy, shows the form and relative size of 
these fins as well as of the others; but the small, an- 
terior, supporting rays at the top and bottom of the 
caudal fin are not represented in the figure, and the 
peduncle of the tail thus seems longer than it is in 
reality — in both of our specimens it, measures only 9'1 % 
of the length of the body. The number of the simple, 
supporting rays of the caudal fin is 7 above and 6 
below; while in Fries’s specimen there are 14 branched 
a “II capo e perfettamente privo di squame”, says Canestrini of Gob. Lesueurii. Cf. also Lilljeborq (1. c.), in whose male speci- 
mens, however, the third ray of the first dorsal Jin was elongated, in place of the hair-like elongation of the first ray of this fin in Gob. 
Lesueurii , according to Canestrini, and in one of our two specimens of Gob. Friesii. 
6 In young specimens the depth is relatively greater than in old, to judge by Collett’s specimen, which was 59 mm. long and 10 
mm. deep, while Fries’s specimen was 95 mm. long and 14 mm. deep. 
c This is true both of Fries’s and Collett’s specimens; but in a specimen from Stromstad, sent by Mr. C. A. Hansson, the longi 
tudinal diameter of the eye is only slightly more than (27*/., %) of the length of the head. 
d In our specimens, in which the epidermis is almost entirely destroyed, they are scarcely visible. 
e This specimen, which was taken out of the gullet of a Cod, though the belly round the vent is damaged, is undoubtedly a male ) 
as it was possible to extract portions of the testes through the wound thus caused. On the other hand, I have refrained from destroying 
Fries’s specimen, which, to judge by the small size of the anal papilla, is probably a female, in order to decide the question of sex. 
Scandinavian Fishes. 
32 
