it is contained not quite six and-a-half times in the entire length. T he space between the
anal and the caudal is one-eighth of the same, and one and a half times the depth o f the tail at
that part. T he usual papilla appears behind the vent.
Skin apparently quite naked everywhere, and without any scales that are visible, even
in the dried state, under a lens. T he lateral line runs straight along the middle, and is marked
by a series of glandular dots placed in threes or fours together vertically at moderate intervals.
Several lines of dots about the head, but the dots are here closer together, and in some places
so salient as to appear like short filamentous processes : on the cheeks, about the eyes, and on
the front of the snout, these lines undulate in an irregular m anner: there are also two or three
short lines of dots on the gill-cover, and a double row on each side of the lower jaw, passing
obliquely upwards posteriorly, as a boundary to the cheek.
C o l o u r .— “ Pale lead-colour, coarsely reticulated with brown.”— D .— This is nearly as it appears
also in spirits. The reticulations are finer on the head, where they are also most d istinct:
they are likewise very visible at the base of the pectorals.
H abitat, Chonos Archipelago, South of Chiloe.
Cuvier and Valenciennes seem to have doubted * whether there were really
any species in this genus absolutely without scales, though they have established
a section, in which the scales are very minute, and as it were lost in the skin.
The present one, however, appears to be thus characterized : at least there are no
scales which can be detected, even with the assistance of a lens, and when the
skin is suffered to become dry, in which state they are generally visible, if really
present. In fact, the skin is as smooth and naked as in any of the true Blennies.
This character, combined with others, clearly indicates it to be a new species ;
neither will it assimilate with any of the sections in the “ Histoire des Poissons
but requires to be placed in one by itself, in which the absence of scales is coupled
with an elongated body, and a caudal, not strictly pointed, hut approaching to
that form, when the rays are close.
This species was obtained by Mr. Darwin in the Chonos Archipelago, in
Lowe’s Harbour, S. of Chiloe. It appears to be the first of this genus brought from
the West Coast of Am erica; at least, there are none, amongst the very numerous
species described by Cuvier and Valenciennes, which are mentioned as belonging
to those shores.
E l e o t r i s g o b i o i d e s . Cuv. et Val.
Eleotris gobioides, Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss. tom. xii. p. 186.
This species was taken by Mr. Darwin in fresh-water, in the Bay of Islands,
New Zealand. It so well accords with the description of the E . gobioides in the
“ Histoire des Poissons,” that I conceive there can be no doubt of their identity.
* See “ Hist, des Poiss.” tom. xii. p. 72, under the species GoUm Boscii.
T he profile slopes very geutly. T he lower jaw is longest, ascending to meet the upper.
There are three or four longitudinal lines on the sides of the head, especially a very well
marked one (not particularly noticed by Valenciennes) extending backwards from the posterior
angle of the eye to the upper angle of the gill-opening. N o appearance of any lateral line.
This specimen has a ray more in the anal than Valenciennes gives. T he fin-ray formula is as
follows :—
B. 6 ; D. a— l/IO, the last double ; A. 1/10, the last double ; C. 16, &c. ;
P . 18; V. 1/5.
Length 4 inches 1 line.
This species, except in respect of its separate ventrals, has very much the
habit and general appearance of the Gobius niger of the European seas.
F a m i l y .— LO PH ID® .
B a t r a c h u s p o r o s is s im u s . Cuv. et Val. ?
Batrachus porosissimus, Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss. tom. xii. p. 373.
F o r m .—H ead very large, broad and depressed, exactly one-fourth of the entire length; its
breadth two-thirds of its own length. Body compressed posteriorly, with its greatest depth about
one-sixth of the entire length. Snout blunt and rounded, the lower jaw projecting; gape wide.
The teeth above form but a single row along the intermaxillary, mostly small, but sharp, and the
posterior ones much curv ed : along each palatine there is a row of much stronger ones, and at
each angle of the vomer are two very long hooked ones, resembling true canines. In the lower
jaw the teeth are in a single row at the sides, but in two or three rows in front, and are unequally
sized, some of the lateral ones being as strong as those on each side of the vomer, and much
hooked, as well as partially reclining backwards. Tongue smooth, and free at the tip, which is
bluntish. Pharynx armed with two patches of velutine teeth above and below. N o regular
barbule at the chin, but a row of m inute cutaneous cirri running all round the edge of the
lower jaw ; a similar row along the anterior edge of the upper jaw, behind the intermaxtllary,
with two thicker and more conspicuous appendages of the skin in the middle. Eyes far apart,
and not very large. Opercle armed with one very strong spine, but o nlyjust the point appearing
through the skin.
Two small spines in front of the dorsal, a little more backward than the insertion of the
pectorals, the first very minute, and hardly appearing through the skin. Second or true dorsal
very long, reacbing to the base o f the caudal, and of nearly uniform height throughout,
equalling about one-third of the greatest depth of the b ody; the rays branched, and the membrane
notched between tlieir tips. A nal commencing under the fifth dorsal ray, similar to that
fin, but with the membrane more notched between the rays: both fins are fastened down at
their extremities to the fleshy p art of the tail by a membrane. Caudal slightly rounded, when
spread. Pectorals broad and large, but, from the middle rays being longest, appearing
somewhat wedge-shaped, not quite equalling the length of the head. Ventrals much smaller,
only half their length, and cut nearly square.
_