GOBIES AND BLENNIES. 
167 
I The dorsal is generally emarginate, or interrupted 
! in its outline near the middle. Most of the 
i species are furnished with a fringed appendage 
; over each eye, and some have another on each 
[ temple. The intestines are wide and short, 
j These little fishes live in small troops, in 
I the shallow pools and channels among the rocks 
I of the coast, swimming and leaping to and fro 
i with much agility. Their smooth lubricated 
I skin, and general softness of fiesh have been 
! already adverted to. They are abundant enough, 
but their minute size renders them unworthy of 
I attention, and in this country, we believe, they 
! are* never cooked; in Italy, however, they are 
j fried in numbers, like sprats in England, and 
I eaten by the poorer classes. They are said to 
I feed on small Crustacea and other animals, which 
they obtain from among the weeds in which 
I they hide. Mr. Couch found in the stomach of 
; one various bivalve shells, parts of a star-fish, 
1 the common jointed coralline, and brown sea- 
I weed. 
Cuvier states that many of the Blennies are 
viviparous, and though we are not aware that 
this is the case with any of the British species 
of the restricted genus before us, we have one 
of a genus closely allied, which bears the title 
of Viviparous Blenny {Zoarces viviparus, Cuv.) 
from this remarkable habit. It is not uncommon 
! on the rocky shores of Scotland, and is occa- 
I sionally brought, though by no means of inviting 
! appearance, to the Edinburgh market. The fe- 
male produces her young alive and fully formed, 
' but varying in size, as it appears, (though this 
1 circumstance is certainly strange,) according to 
