240 The Hifiory of A N I M A L S, 
large lips; there is only one fin on the back, and that is extended from the head to the 
tail, or nearly fo : this fometimes contains fimple, and often aculeated, rays, and fome- 
times there are one or two appendages on the front of the head, toward the eyes: the 
ventral fins are placed very forward, and contain only two rays j the eyes are covered 
with a fkin : the branchioftege membrane on each fide contains fix diftina: bones, 
Blennius fulco inter oculos , macula magna in pinna dorfi . 
The Blennius, with a deprefjion between the eyes 5 and a 
large fpot on the back fin. , tttftyzft 
This is an extreamly pretty fifh } it grows to fix or feven inches in length, and is 
moderately thick, in proportion : the head is large, and there are two fmall pinnules on 
it, one over each eye, but thefe are fometimes wanting : the eyes are large, and their 
iris is red : the opening of the mouth is moderately large : the body is fomewhat com- 
prefled, but not much fo, the colour is an elegant fixture of blue, gTeen, and 
grey, but the laft is the predominant one : the lateral line is tolerably broad and crook¬ 
ed : the back fin is very long, but not very high toward the hinder extremity s fome 
of the rays of it are very fharp and prickly, others lefs fo; and there is a large and 
beautiful fpot on it, like thofe fpots which we call eyes, in the wings of our butter¬ 
flies, whence the fifh has it’s name : the tail is of a rounded figure, and has twenty- 
fix rays: the pe&oral fins have each twelve rays j and the ventral ones, which are fi¬ 
xated anteriorly, have each only two rays: the pinna ani has feventeen rays. 
This fpecies is taken in great abundance in the Mediterranean, and, when frefli 
caught, is extreamly beautiful in it’s colours; but they go off in a great meafure, as it 
dies; the antients were very well acquainted with it. Athenasus calls it Bextw& • and 
Oppian, j Pliny calls it Blennius 5 Salvian and others, Blennus; others call it 
Blennus Salviani and Blennus Bellonii 3 the Italians, Meforo. 
Blennius pinnulis duabus ad oculos y pinna ani officulorum 
viginti trium . 
The Blennius, with two pinnules at the eyes , and twenty- 
three rays in the pinna ani . 
ntsitte. 
This is alfo a beautiful fifh ; the length it ufually grows to is feven or eight inches, 
and it’s thicknefs, in proportion, is moderate: the body is covered with an unftuous, 
lubricous matte, and is of a beautiful variety of colours : the head is comprefied and 
obtufe 5 the eyes are large5 the opening of the mouth is moderately wide, and the 
anus is fituated much nearer the head than the tail: the back fin is very long, and has 
thirty-one rays, ten or twelve of which are rigid and fomewhat prickly 3 in fome of 
them there is a black fpot toward the origin, but not in all: the pedoral fins have 
each fourteen rays 3 the ventral ones ftand very forward, and have only two: the 
pinna ani has twenty-three rays 3 the tail is even at the extremity, and has twelve 
rays 3 there are two pinnules on the head, one placed over each eye j thefe have ufu¬ 
ally four rays each. 
This fpecies is frequent in the Mediterranean, and is fometimes caught about the 
fhores of France, though there it is rarely more than four inches in length. Ray and 
Willughby call it by it’s Venetian name, Gattorugine; Willughby, indeed, adds Alau- 
dis Rondeletio di&is affinis, Exocaeto primo Bellonii fimilis, fi non idem, or Pifcis Gut- 
turofus Gefneri. 
Blennius maxilla Jiiperiore longiore , capite fummo 
acuminato. SCI n UStiisranoc, 
The Blennius , smith the upper jaw longefl, and the 0? 
top of the head acuminated . 
This is like the other Blennii, a very beautiful fifh ; it’s length is about fix or feven 
inches, and it is moderately thick, in proportion: the head is in general comprefied, 
but it is alfo deprefled on the hinder part, and acuminated on the anterior part of the 
front, fo that the whole figure of it is very irregular: the eyes are large, and their iris 
2 is 
