576 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
definite spots or bodies are mentioned. Chasmodes bosquiannus seems to be the only- 
true blenny (family Blenniidae according to Jordan 1923) studied to date which has 
eggs containing yolk without pink, red, or purple color. 
The eggs of the North Carolina blennies all contain many oil globules. The oil 
spheres are yellow, being especially bright golden yellow in Hypleurochilus geminatus. 
In the European species oil globules are mentioned only in the eggs of Blennius 
ocellaris. 
The newly hatched fish of the European species Blennius ocellaris, B. gattorugine, 
and B. pholis are respectively 4.4, 4.9, and 5.4 mm long, and therefore larger than 
those of the American species, Hypsoblennius hentz, Hypleurochilus geminatus, and 
Chasmodes bosquianus, which are respectively 2.7, 2.4, and 3.6 mm long. Somewhat 
larger young would be expected as the eggs of the European species are larger than 
those of the American ones. The greater axis of the eggs of the European species, 
in the order named, are 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 mm, whereas those of the American species, 
respectively, are only 0.77, 0.69, and 1.04 mm. Furthermore, the European species 
grow larger than the American ones. The former, in the order named, reach a 
length of about 175, 225 and 150 mm, whereas the latter attain a length, respectively, 
of only about 100, 75, and 90 mm. It is understood, of course, that the size of a fish 
is no criterion relative to the size of the egg it produces. However, in this instance 
the larger European species evidently do produce larger eggs than the smaller American 
ones. 
Although the newly batched young of the European species are larger than those 
of the American ones, as pointed out in the preceding paragraph, they are all strik- 
ingly similar in general appearance throughout the larval stages. The newly hatched 
larvae are fairly stocky anteriorly and have rather long slender tails, the vent being 
situated far in advance of midbody length. The pectoral fin membranes are com- 
paratively large and generally more or less spotted with black. Usually black is 
present also on the abdomen which most often is concentrated on the side of the fish 
along the upper edge of the abdominal mass. Short black cross lines on the ventral 
edge of the tail may be present on only a few to several myomeres or on all the caudal 
segments. 
In the older larvae the tail becomes proportionately shorter and heavier and 
the black on the sides and on the pectorals tends to become more prominent. In 
the postlarval stages the pectoral fins generally are proportionately much longer 
than in adults, and the caudal fin, which is round in the adult, tends to be slightly 
concave. Such a development of the caudal fin must be considered rather unusual, 
though a similar evolution has been observed in the gobies. (For descriptions and 
figures of the eggs and the young of the European blennies, Blennius ocellaris, B. 
gattorugine, and B. pholis, see Cunningham, 1889; Ford, 1922; and Lebour, 1927.) 
HYPSOBLENNIUS HENTZ (LeSUEUR). SPOTTED SEAWEED FISH 
Hypsoblennius hentz is common, but not abundant at Beaufort, N. C., and is 
known to range from Chesapeake Bay to Florida. It is recognized chiefly by its 
very steep forehead; small, horizontal mouth, the maxillary scarcely reaching under 
the middle of the eye; by the absence of canine teeth; the small gill opening; the 
broad pectoral, with 14, rarely 13 or 15 rays; and the moderately long and low dorsal 
and anal fins, the former consisting of 12 spines and 14 or 15 soft rays and the latter 
of 2 spines and 16 soft rays. 
The males appear to grow larger than the females (largest male at hand 104 
and the largest female 84 mm long) and the males have a much longer tentacle over 
