264 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Mugil iang, Blocii, "Ichthyologia, taf. 395," sibont 1795 (Africa); Block *fc 



ScnNEiDER, Systenia Ichtbyologia, 1801, 115 (copied). 

 Mugil plumieri, Blocii " Iclithyologia, taf. '.^[)G" (St. Vincent: on adrawingby 



Plumier); Cuv. iS: Val., 18:?G, xi, 90 (MiU tiniqiie, Brazil, New York) ; Dr. 



KAy, New York Fanna, 1842, 147 (New York); Jordax «S- Gilbkrt, Proc. 



U.S. Nat. Mns., 1878, :581-3H-2 (Beanfort Harbor). 

 Sphyra'na })hmieri, Bloch v\s Schneidkr, Ichtbyologia, If^Ol, 110, (copied). 

 Afitgil linentus, (Mitchill), Cvv. & Val., xi, 96, 183(i (New York) ; De Kay, 



New York Fanua, Fishes, 1842, 144 (New York) ; GC'XTHEr. iii, 420, 1861; 



Ayres, Bo.ston, Jonr. Nat. Hist., v, 205, ]>1. 12(Bro*»kliaven). 

 Mugil ?v(»HHU'/s/jec(/)), TscHUDi, Faun., Pernan., Ichthy.. 1X4.'>, 20 (Pern); Gf'N- 



THER, iii, 1801, 420 (Chili). 

 Mugil Uza, Gay, " Hist. Chili, ii, 250, 1847, laui. 4b, lig. 2 " {not of Curier). 

 Mugil herlaudifri, GiRARD, U. S. Mexican Boundary Survey, 18.59, 20, pi. 10, lig. 



1 (St. Joseph's Island, Indianola, Bra/.os Santiago, Brazos and Galveston, 



Tex.). 

 Mugil giiutheri, GiLL, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phila., 1803, 109 (Western coast Cen- 

 tral America; notof Sleindachner). 

 Mugil mexicanus, Stkindachner, Ichthy. Beitriige, iii, 59, 1878 (Acapulco) ; 



Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S.Nat. Mns., 18-1, 274 (Puuta San Yguacio, 



Mexico); Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis Fishes North America, 1883, 403 



(Pacific coast of U. S., south of Point Coucepcion). 

 Mugil cephalotus, Lockixgton, Amer. Nat., 1879, 305 CCalifornia); Stein- 



DACiiNER, Icbth. Beitr., X, 39, 1881; (identification of Mugil mexicanus; 



probably not Mugil cephalotus C. «Sr V., which is a species of Sontberu 



Asia). 



Habitat. — Coasts of Southeru Europe and Northern Africa ; Atlantic 

 coast of America, from Cape Cod to Brazil ; Pacific coast, from Monterey 

 to Cliili (not yet known from Cuba). 



Head, 4i (5.^) ; depth, 3| (5) ; D. IV-I, 8 ; A. Ill, 8 (very rarely III, 7). 

 Scales, 13-41, Length, 10^ inches. 



Bodj' rather robust, somewhat compressed ; its <lepth moderate. 

 Snout rather narrow and acutish, its upper profile little less oblique 

 than lower. Interorbital space slightly convex, 2f in head. Upper lip 

 rather thin. Space at the chin between the mandibulary bones oblance- 

 olate, acutish posteriorly. Preorbital narrow, not nearly covering the 

 maxillary. Eyes hidden anteriorly and posteriorly by a brond adipose 

 membrane. Teeth close-set, rather small, but evident. Scales rather 

 small ; about 23 large scales between origin of dorsal and tip of snout; 

 scales on top of head slightly enlarged; soft dorsal and anal, with very few 

 scales. Margin of soft dorsal concave, the seventh ray shortest, 2^- times 

 in length of second or longest ray; anal similar to soft dorsal, but less 

 concave. Pectoral reaching nearly to front of spinous dorsal. Caudal 

 deeply forked. 



Color dark bluish above ; sides silver^', with conspicuous dark stripes 

 along each row of scales ; pale yellowish below. Ventrals yellowish, 

 the other tins dusky. 



Tliis is the common mullet of our South Atlantic and (Tulf coast, in 



which region it is one of the most abundant and im])ortaut food-fishes. 



<It is equally abundant along the coast of Southern California and 



