242 ACANTHOPTERYGII. THE MULLET FAMILY. 



the former genera, and t^Yice that number of the 

 latter. Six or seven Atherines belong to Europe : 

 only one is British. 



Gen. XXXYII. Atherina. — The Atherines may 

 be defined as fishes with two dorsal fins, and with 

 their ventrals placed farther back than their pecto- 

 rals; the upper jaw is protractile and furnished 

 with very slender teeth, sometimes existing on the 

 palate ; their body has a broad silvery band upon 

 each side ; they have six gill-rays. There are spe- 

 cies of this genus in all seas, and they superabound 

 on the French coasts and in the Mediterranean; 

 they associate in immense troops, and though small, 

 seldom exceeding six inches in length, they are 

 regarded an excellent aliment. The young, for a 

 time after being hatched, remain together in close 

 masses and innumerable quantities. They are ac- 

 cordingly captured without difficulty, and are pre- 

 pared by frying or boiling in milk. In some places, 

 the adult fishes are so abundant, that they are given 

 as food to the lower animals. Thus, in Venice, 

 they are caught in thousands in the canals, and are 

 cried about the streets as cat's-meat. One species 

 alone is ascertained to be British : it is the 



(Sp. 60.) A. breshyter. The Atherine or Sand- 

 smelt. (PL XYII.) To the skill and patience of 

 Mr. Yarrell we are indebted for correct views about 

 this beautiful little fish, which had been mistaken, 

 by earlier Naturahsts, for another species. It super- 

 abounds on the southern coast of England ; is rare 

 on the Eastern, and, perhaps, Western, and on the 



