209 



MTJLLUS. 



Head compressed, and sloping in front; body thick and solid, together 

 with the cheeks covered with large scales, which are easily displaced. 

 Jaws slightly furnished with teeth, or not at all. Two barbs at the 

 origin of the throat. Two fins on the back, which are separate. First 

 gill-cover having its border smooth. Thoracic fishes. 



SURMULLET. 



Mulhis, Jonston; Cap. 1, Art. 1, M. major, 



table 17, f. 6. 

 Willoughby; p. 285, tab. S. 7, f. 1. 

 Mullus surmuletus, Linn.eus. Cuvier. Bloch, pi. 57. 



Donovan, pi. 12. Fleming; Br. An., p. 216. 

 " " Jenyns ; Manual, p. 337. 



" " Yarrell ; British Fishes, vol. i, p. 30. 



Mulle surmullet, Lacepede. Bjsso. 



" " Guntuer's Cat. Br. Museum, vol. i, p. 301. 



The Surmullet is a common fish along the coast of the 

 south and w T est of England, and is known in Ireland and 

 Scotland, and even much farther north where such ground 

 occurs as is fitted to its habits. But if a fish can be said 

 to have its chief residence where it attains the largest size 

 and liveliest colours, that favourite district is the west portion 

 of the channel which divides England from France. It may 

 be termed a fish of passage, so far as a change from the 

 deeper water of the middle of the channel to its borders, 

 according to the season, will allow of its being thus charac- 

 terized; for, while it is not unfrequently taken in a trawl 

 net at a great depth in winter, and on one occasion a trawl 

 vessel of Plymouth at that season took so many fish, of which 

 Surmullets formed by far the largest portion, as were sold for 

 twenty pounds, they do not come within the reach of the 

 trammel or ground-scan until about the month of May; and, 

 VOL. I. 2 H 



