12B Dr. Hancock on the Mullets of Guiana^ 



The only obvious distinctions between the queriman and 

 trench mullet, appear to be in the anal fin, and the scales on 

 the back of the head ; the anal fin in the queriman having 

 only eleven, while the trench mullet has constantly twelve-rays. 

 The scales on the back of the head of the former are marked 

 with concentric circles^ but the trench mullet shews no trace of 

 this character. Its scales are smaller and quite smooth ; the 

 head is not so angular, is less flattened, of a lighter colour, 

 and more delicate in appearance, i. e,, taking a full-grown 

 trench mullet and a queriman of the same size for comparison : 

 the scales in the latter are stouter, and much more developed. 

 But in these respects, you require to compare them together, 

 to observe the difference, and that with somewhat careful 

 attention ; being so near alike, that many think them the same 

 species, — that the mullet is the young of the queriman, in 

 the same manner as the white-bait (Clupea latulus, Cuv.) is 

 sometimes mistaken for the young of the shad. The lips are 

 protractile in both. I observed very fine setae in the lips in 

 both species, but less crowded in the mullet than in the 

 queriman. The body of the mullet is more soft and flexible 

 than that of the queriman, and its taste is also different, 

 having a peculiar delicate flavour^ different from that of other 

 fishes. It has a gall-bladder very small, and oval ; the que- 

 riman has a large, oblong, pointed gall-bladder; in both, 

 the liver is situated close to the anterior part of the 

 stomach. 



The guiana mullets have twenty-four dorsal vertebrae, 

 that is, if we include the fan-shaped bone of the tail. The 

 grey mullet has the same ; and Hill says the mugil cephalus 

 has twenty-four vertebrae. It is probable, that all the true 

 mullets have about the same number ; a great similarity usually 

 prevails in this respect in closely allied species; as, for instance, 

 the three species of gadus, cod, whiting, and haddock, have 

 each respectively, fifty-three, fifty-four, and fifty-five. 



Specimens of the queriman and trench mullet are deposited 

 at the Museum of the Zoological Society, in Bruton-street, 

 from which drawings may be made. Both of these are fish 

 of the finest flavour. The queriman is remarkable for having 

 a very large roe, or ovaria, the finest and most delicious, 



