364 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



was first observed in New York waters by Dr. Mitchill. He found them in the 

 market in the beginning of September. This species is one of our choice food 

 fishes. It is not uncom.mon in September in Great Egg Harbor Bay, N. J., but we 

 are informed that large specimens are never taken in that body of water. 



In 1898 the Striped Mullet was not abundant in the waters seined till fall ; the 

 great schools were absent till October. Several individuals were obtained in Mecox 

 Bay, August 2, and a larger number in Clam Pond Cove, Great South Bay. 

 August 22. 



The young of this species are abundant in Gravesend Bay in midsummer; larger 

 ones appear in September and October. One winter, some years ago, Mullet hiber- 

 nated in the mud in Sheepshead Bay and were taken with eel spears. The Mullets 

 feed and thrive most of the year in captivity, but will not survive the intense heat 

 of summer. In the aquarium their food includes hard clam and shrimp. 



In 1883 Jordan & Gilbert established a genus Qiicrimana for "little mullets with 

 but two spines in the anal fin and with the teeth in the jaws less ciliiform than in 

 Miigil ; adipose eyelid wanting; preorbital serrate." The genus was based on 

 Myxus Iiarcngiis of Giinther. Oiicriuiana is nothing more than the young of Mugil. 

 The only good character by which it was distinguished is the presence of two anal 

 spines instead of three ; in all other respects Qucriinaiia and Mugil agree perfectly. 

 As a matter of fact, all young Miigils pass through a Querimana stage in which only 

 two of the three anal spines are developed, the adipose eyelid is rudimentary, and 

 the teeth are comparatively stouter than in the adult. The third anal spine of 

 Mugil is really a simple articulated ray till the fish reaches a length varying from 

 about 40 mm. to 50 mm. The first simple ray of the anal becomes a spine by the 

 breaking off at an articulation, the subsequent sharpening of the point, and the 

 deposit of hard material in the articulations, thus forming a somewhat slender, but 

 perfect spine. 



This fact of development was carefully studied in large series of specimens in the 

 U. S. National Museum, and it is both interesting and important from the fish cul- 

 tural as well as the systematic standpoint. In Mugil ceplialus one e.xample, 41 mm. 

 long, shows the third anal spine very plainly ; it is well developed and has a sharp 

 point, but several articulations still remain. Other examples of equal length have 

 the first simple anal ray scarcely developed into a spine, and in still others this ray 

 does not take on the character of a spine at all. Qiceriinana Iiarotgus, the type of 

 the genus, is the young of Mugil cureina, and Q. gyrans is the immature Mugil 

 trichodon. A re-examination of the types of Querimana gyrans shows the presence 

 of 33 rows of scales in some examples instead of 29. 



