GREY MULLET. 239 



flow, as high up as Amberg Castle, which is by the river 

 nearly ten miles above the town of Arundel, and nearly 

 twenty miles from the sea. 



The partiality exhibited by the Grey Mullet for fresh 

 water has led to actual experiment of the effect of confinino- 

 them to it entirely. Mr. Arnould put a number of the fry 

 of the Grey Mullet about the size of a finger into his pond at 

 Guernsey, which is of about three acres area, and has been 

 before referred to under the article Basse. After a few 

 years, Mullet of four pounds 1 weight were caught, which 

 proved to be fatter, deeper, and heavier, for their length, than 

 others obtained from the sea. Of all the various salt-water 

 fishes introduced, the Grey Mullet appeared to be the most 

 improved. A slight change in the external colour is said to 

 be visible. 



The length of the head in this fish, compared with the 

 length of the body and tail, is as one to four : the depth of 

 the body is equal to the space from the anterior edge of the 

 orbit to the end of the operculum, and the body docs not 

 decrease in size till the commencement of the anal fin : the 

 fleshy portion of the tail is equal to half the depth of the 

 body. 



The form of the mouth is different from that of most other 

 fishes. The lower jaw is divided in the middle by an ascend- 

 ing angular point, which, when the mouth is closed, passes 

 within the upper jaw : the upper jaw, also, if viewed from 

 below, is angular ; each jaw is furnished with a single row of 

 minute teeth ; the nostrils are double on each side, placed 

 near together, both pierced in the same depression, the ante- 

 rior aperture round, the posterior orifice oblong and vertical : 

 the operculum large and broad. The number of fin-rays 

 are 



D. 4. 1 + 8 : P. 17 : V. 1 + 5 : A. 3 + 9 : C. 13. 

 The first dorsal fin commences behind the nape at a distance 



