Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/179

Rh are viviparous, as we shall presently see of the Blennies.

3. Callionymina. Here the ventrals are separate, larger than the pectorals, and placed far forward under the throat. There are two dorsals, sometimes much elevated. The head is oblong, flattened, with the eyes looking upwards, and with a very small hole on each side of the nape, for the gill-opening. They much resemble the Gurnards in shape and aspect; they are small fishes with a smooth skin, covered with slime, but often adorned with brilliant colours. The mouth is small and very protractile, and the jaws are studded with small, thickly-set teeth.

Two species of this group are found on the British shores, called Dragonets. One of these, the Gemmeous Dragonet, (Callionymus lyra, .), is a little fish of unusual brilliancy. The body is yellow of various tints, with the head and sides marked with spots, dashes, and lines of sapphire-blue: the dorsal-fins are pale brown, crossed by several bands of black. All the fins are very large, but the two dorsals in particular are elevated in the form of high sails, and the first is tall, slender, and curved like a crescent.

To this group is assigned that singular fish, which has been already alluded to as inhabiting Lake Baikal, (Comephorus Baicalensis, .) While agreeing, in many points with the other species, there are some important ones in which it differs, particularly in the total absence of ventral fins. Pallas's account represents it as varying from four to six inches in length, with a broad depressed head, and a soft unctuous body.