74 ACANTHOPTERYGII. MULLID.^. 



recorded what I have been told by persons in 

 other respects well instructed and worthy of cre- 

 dit."* 



Family III. Mullid^. 



(^Surmullets). 



This also is a Family of limited extent, arranged 

 by Cuvier with the Perches. Its distinctive cha- 

 racters are these : — the shape is somewhat oval, 

 but the fore parts are thick in proportion to the 

 hind ; the head is large, somewhat compressed, 

 higher than broad; the profile is abrupt, approach- 

 ing to a vertical line ; the eyes are placed near 

 the summit, but look laterally; the mouth is 

 small, armed with minute teeth ; the lower jaw is 

 furnished with two fleshy beards {cirri), which 

 depend from its under side ; the line of the back 

 is arched, that of the belly nearly straight ; the 

 gill-cover and body are clothed with large scales, 

 easily detached : there are two dorsal fins, widely 

 separated ; the caudal is forked. 



About fifty species are included in this Family, 

 contained in two genera, Mullus and Upeneus. 

 The former of these, containing but two species, 

 is found in the Mediterranean and in the British 

 seas; the latter and more numerous one, little 

 differing from it in appearance or structure, is 

 distributed over the tropical parts of the ocean. 

 They are nearly all coloured with different shades 

 of red, often varied with yellow or pale stripes ; 

 their flesh is much esteemed. 



* Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss. iii. 346. 



