THE MULLUS BARBATUS. 22 l ) 



on the tongue and palate, above the angle of the mouth is a 

 hard callus: the gill-membrane has seven incurvated rays. 

 The gill-covers are smooth and rounded. 



Mr. Pennant states that he heard of this species having 

 been taken on the coast of Scotland, but had no opportunity 

 of examining it ; and whether it is found in the West of 

 England, with the other species, as yet is unascertained : at 

 least it is but rare. Salvianus makes it a distinct species, 

 and says that it is of a purple colour, striped with golden 

 lines, and that it did not commonly exceed a palm in length : 

 it is no wonder that such a prodigy should captivate the 

 fancy of the Roman epicure. Mr. Ray* establishes some 

 other distinctions, such as the first dorsal fin having nine 

 rays, and the colour of that fin, the tail and the pectoral 

 fins, being of a very pale purple. However this is described 

 by Mr. Pennant under the title of the striped Surmullet. 



ORDER.— ABDOMINALES. 



GENUS.— SALMO. 



The generic character, as given by Gmelin, of this genus 

 of fishes, is as follows : — Head smooth and compressed, with 

 a large mouth, small lips, tongue white, cartilaginous, and 

 movable; eyes are moderate, lateral; teeth in the jaws 

 and on the tongue ; the gill-membrane is from four to 

 twelve rayed, but the cover has three laminae ; the body is 

 long, covered with rounded and very finely striate scales; 

 the back is convex ; the lateral line is straight, near the 

 back ; the hindmost dorsal fin is fleshy without rays ; the 

 ventral fins have moving rays. 



* Synopsis Piscium. 



