132 ORDF.R ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Mullus, properly so called, 



Have only three rays to the gills, and the operculum is 

 without spines and the upper jaw is without teeth, but 

 the vomer has two large plates of small teeth closely 

 set ; they have no air-bladder. 

 All the species are European. 



M. barbatus, Lin., Bl. 348. 2. 



With a profile nearly vertical, of a fine bright red, is 

 celebrated for its flavour, and for the pleasure the 

 Romans took in contemplating the changes of colour 

 it undergoes in dying (Senec. Quest. Nat. iii. c. 18.) 

 It is more known in the Mediterranean. 



M. surmuletus, Lin., Bl. 57. 



Larger, and with the profile less vertical, striped longi- 

 tudinally with yellow ; more common in the ocean. 



Upeneus, Cuv. 



Have teeth in both jaws, and are frequently without 

 them on the palate ; their operculum has a small 

 spine ; there are four rays to the gills, and they 

 possess an air-vessel. All the species come from the 

 seas of the warm climates \ 



1 Mullus vittatus, Gm., Lacep. iii. 14. 1. Russel ii. 158. M. 

 Russelii, Cuv., Russel ii. 157. M. bifasciatus, Lacep. iii. 14. 2. 

 M. trifasciatus, id. iii. 15. 1., or M. multlbande, Quoy and Gaym. 

 Voy.de Freycin. pi. lix. f. 1. and many others described in the third 

 volume of our history of Fish. 



