58 A Guide to the Zoological Collections 



of which four species live in Indian Seas. They are 

 large, active, and extremely rapacious fishes. The other 

 species are found in the West Indies and Atlantic, in 

 the Mediterranean and Red Seas, and in the Indo- 

 Pacific. 



Family XXXIII. AtJierinidce [Case 44]. 



A small family allied both to the Sphyramida and to 

 the Grey Mullets. They are marine, but also ascend 

 rivers. Four species of Atherina occur in India, the 

 other species of the genus being found in the North and 

 South Atlantic ; the Mediterranean, Black, and Red 

 Seas ; and the seas of the Indo-Pacific region 



Family XXXIV. Mugilidce [Case 44]. 



The Grey Mullets are numerous in temperate and 

 tropical seas, occurring in shoals. They are particularly 

 fond of brackish water and tidal pools, and some of the 

 species are entirely fluviatile, living far above the reach 

 of the tides. They feed to a large extent by sifting the 

 organic matter out of mud and sand, and their digestive 

 canal is singular, not only for its great length, but 

 also in having the stomach provided with a muscular 

 chamber much like the gizzard of birds. In correlation 

 with their method of feeding, the gill-rakers, or struc- 

 tures for straining the water before it passes over the 

 gills, are remarkably developed. They are good eating 

 when perfectly fresh. 



Family XXXV. Fistulariidce [Case 45]. 



The Tube-fishes have the anterior bones of the head 

 produced to form a long tube, at the end of which the 

 mouth is placed. One species is found, often in back- 

 waters of the sea, in India. 



