230 ACANTHOPTERYGH 



which forms a blind sac ; while the pyloric portion is conical externally, somewhat 

 resembling a bird's gizzard, but which, when cut into, is found to consist of thick 

 muscular walls formed of circular fibres, leaving a small cavity internally, lined 

 with a thick and horny epithelium. The pyloric opening is protected by a valve, 

 and here are seen the orifices of the ccecal appendages which usually encircle the 

 commencement of the small intestines. 



Mullets are much esteemed as food, but perhaps more so on the Continent 

 than they are in Great Britain, while such as have been taken in clear streams 

 are much better flavoured than those captured in the ocean ; any that have been 

 resident in stagnant pools where reeds abound, or where the bottom is foul and 

 oozy, are generally to be avoided. They ought to be cooked the same day they 

 are captured. Large numbers are exported to France from Great Britain. 



Before cooking they must first be very carefully eviscerated and cleansed, as 

 they are not always very particular as to the food they swallow. In this country 

 they are commonly boiled, and melted butter with anchovy or caper sauce may 

 be sent to table with them. 



In Italy the hard roe of mullets is converted into cakes termed botarge and 

 botargo, which are prepared by washing, sprinkling with salt, and pressing 

 between two boards. This may be smoke or sun dried, and is considered a good 

 appetizer to promote thirst. But in Ceylon and on the Malabar coast of India 

 the same article is somewhat similarly treated, and considered excellent for 

 curries. 



The modes of capture adopted for taking mullets around these islands, will 

 be found detailed under the respective species (pp. 231, 234). Abroad further 

 devices are employed. Thus at Naples, when these fishes are surrounded by a 

 net, the fishermen first set to work to terrify them, which is accomplished by 

 making a great disturbance on the surface of the water : or else they place a raft 

 composed of reeds round the outside of the nets, so that the mullets which spring 

 over are captured by persons stationed there for that purpose. In a nearly 

 similar manner some of the fishermen on our own coast scatter straw on the water 

 on the inner side of the net : on to this the fish throw themselves, but only to 

 fall into the inclosure again, while it is believed that having once failed they 

 give up further efforts at escape. Pliny observes mullets are stupid, asserting, 

 probably erroneously, that one of their traits is to thrust their heads into the 

 sand, in order to escape observation : and Badham suggests that in Shakespeare's 

 day there was probably an adage " Dull as a mullet," the latter word having 

 come down to us as a " mallet " (Henry IV, part 2), which is probably an incorrect 

 reading. 



*& 



1. Mugil capito, Plate XL VI. 



Mugil, Artedi, Genera, p. 32 and Species, p. 71 ; Gronov. Zooph. no. 397. 

 Meuille blanc, Duhamel, Peches, ii, sect. 6, p. 147, pi. xi, t. 3. Mullet, Pennant, 

 Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1) iii, p. 329, pi. lxvi (Ed. 2) iii, p. 436, pi. lxxvii. 



Mugil capito, Cuv. Reg. Anim. ; Bonap. Fauna Ital. Pesc. p. 31 , t. f. 1 ; Cuv. 

 and Val. xi, p. 36, pi. cccviii ; Jenyns' Manual, p. 375 ; Parnell, Wern. Mem. vii, 

 p. 225, t. xxvii, and Fishes Firth of Forth, p. 65; Yarrell, Brit. Fishes (Ed. 1) i, 

 p. 200, c. fig. (Ed. 2) i, p. 234 (Ed. 3) ii, p. 175 ; Miss. Skand. Fauna, iv, p. 176; 

 Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 106 ; Guichen. Explor. Alger. Poiss. p. 67 ; 

 White, Catal. p. 27 ; Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 439 ; Blanchard, Poiss. eaux Douces 

 France, 1866, p. 248 ; Steind. Ich. Span. u. Port. 1868, p. 14 ; Mcintosh, Fish. 

 St. Andrew's, p. 176; Collett, Christ. Vid. Selsk. Forh. 1879, p. 60; Giglioli, Pesc. 

 Ital. p. 33 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, iii, p. 188. 



Mugil cephalus, var. A. Risso, Ich. Nie. p. 344. 



Mugil ramada, Risso, Eur. Merid. iii, p. 390. 



Mugil Britannicus, Hancock, London Quart. Journ. Sc. 1830, p. 129. 



Mugil octo-radiatus, Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 457. 



Gray mullet, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, iii, p. 6, pl.cxxii. 



B. vi, D. 4/s^, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. ^, C. 17, L. 1. 42-46, L. tr. 14, Ccec. pyl. 6-8. 



