“Why may not the extremely long channel formed by the
jaw of this rather abnormal member of the goby family be
another mode of provision for the requirements of respiration? ”

Of the Asiatic genera, Periophthalmus and Boleophthalmus
are especially notable. In these mud-skippers the eyes are
raised on a short stalk, the fins are strong, and the animal has
the power of skipping along over the wet sands and mud, even
skimming with great speed over the surface of the water. It
chases its insect prey among rocks, leaves, and weeds, and out
of the water is as agile as a lizard. Several species of these
mud-skippers are known on the coasts of Asia and Polynesia,
Periophthalmus barbarus and Boleophthalmus chinensis being
the best known. Awaous crassilabris is the common oopu, or


Gobioidei, Discocephali, and Tzniosomi 677


river goby, of the Hawaiian streams, and Lentipes stimpsoni is
the mountain oopu, capable of clinging to the rocks in the


—— ZZ


Fig. 589.—Pond-skipper, Boleophthalmus chinensis (Osbeck). Bay of Tokyo, Japan.
(Eye-stalks sunken in preservation.)


tush of torrents. Paragobiodon echinocephalus is a short thick-
set goby with very large head, found in crevices of coral reefs


of Polynesia.
~~


Fic. 590.—Mud-skippy, Periophthalmus oarbarus (L.). Mouth of Vaisigono River,
Apia, Samoa.
