166 
ACANTHOPTERYGII. — ^GOBIAD^. 
Indeed, except the head, a very thin back-bone, 
the skin, and the fins, the whole fish seems to 
be composed of solid fat, which melts over the 
fire into very fine train-oil, which may be used 
nearly like olive-oil. What renders this fish 
most remarkable is the circumstance that it 
had become known to the fishermen of Lake 
Baikal for the first time, only five years before 
the visit of Pallas, and that, in 1770 and 1771, 
it made its appearance in such immense numbers, 
that the dead fishes in some places, and particu- 
larly near the mouth of the Bargusin, covered 
the shores to the depth of several feet. In 1772 
it had again become so rare that Pallas and 
Georgi had some difficulty in procuring a few 
specimens. Pallas expresses his opinion that this 
fish generally lives near the bottom of the lake, 
in the greatest depths, and that it was carried 
to the surface, in the above-named years, by some 
draughts of gas or air; but, being here out of 
its element, languished and died ; for the fishes 
were invariably taken out either actually dead, 
or in a very languid state. The oil is sometimes 
obtained from the flesh of these fishes by subject- 
ing them to pressure instead of heat ; it is of 
considerable value, and, on being sent to the 
markets of China, finds a ready sale. 
Genus Blennius. (Linn.) 
In this numerous genus the mouth is small, 
with teeth long, slender, conical, equal, and closely- 
set, arranged in a single row", generally with a 
canine on each side : the head is thick and obtuse, 
the muzzle short, the profile nearly vertical. 
