266 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



cies to forbid this identification, but we prefer not to unite cephalotus 

 with cephalus until Asiatic specimens are compared. If they are really 

 the SBime, Mugil cephalus is a cosmopolitan species, like Elops saurus, 

 Albula vidpes, and other similar forms. 



If the identification of Mugil cephalus, L. with this species be regarded 

 as uncertain, the name Mugil albula, concerning wLich no doubt exists, 

 should be used. 



3. Mugil platanus. 



Mugil platanus, G^nther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., July, 1880, 9. (Buenos 

 Ayres. ) 



Habitat. — Coast of Buenos Ayres. This species, briefly described by 

 Dr. Giinther, is closely related to Mugil cephalus. The scales appear to 

 be larger (lat. 1. 38), the head broader, the interorbital width being half 

 the length of the head. The coloration is not described, so that w© 

 cannot say whether this is striped like M. cephalus and M. liza or not. 



4. Mugil incilis. Trench Mullet. 



Mugil incilis, Hancock, Lond. Quart. Journ. Sc, 1830, 127 (Guiana) ; Gunther, 

 Fishes Central America 1869, 443, (Dutch and British Guiana ; Chagrea 

 River) ; Steindachner, Fisch Fauna Magdaleneu-Stronies, 1878, 10 (Rio 

 Magdalena, San Domingo, Demerara, Maranhao, PatJj, Cameta Porto d& 

 Moz, Bahia, San Matheos, Chiapam) ; Jordan &. Gilbert, Proc. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., lQr-2, G24 (Panama); Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish 

 Comm. 1882, 109 (Panama). 



Mugil giintheri, Steindachner, Notizen, i, 12, 1864 (British Guiana). 



Habitat. — Antilles, northern coasts of South America, both coasts of 

 Central America, ascending the streams. 



This species appears to be abundant on both coasts of tropical America. 

 We have, however, seen but a single specimen. This is in the museum 

 of Yale College, having been obtained at Panama. It is very well dis- 

 tinguished from Mugil curema by the small size of the scales. 



As already remarked by Steindachner, the long description by Han- 

 cock of his " Trench Mullet" {Mugil incilis)* contains nothing distinc- 



* The following is Dr. Hancock's original description : " In the Trench Mullet {Mugil 

 incilis), as we may designate this species (being chiefly found in the trenches or 

 ditches dug for draining the flat lands of the coast of Guiana), the scales are small ; 

 the anal fin has 12 rays ; grows to 8 or 10 inches in length ; is of a lighter color 

 than the queriman, but otherwise differs very little from a young queriman of the 

 same size ; the structure of the stomach is also the same, being a sort of gizzard. 

 Like the latter fish, it lives entirely by suction. It delights in water that is slightly 

 brackish; and although it is often found on the coast, yet a sudden immersion in sea- 

 water soou kills it. I once observed at Cape Batave (the pro^jerty of Mr. Gilgens), on 

 the west coast of Essequibo, great numbers of mullets swimming with their heads or 

 snouts out of the water. On inquiry I found that the front dam had given way in 

 the night from a high spring tide, and nearly filled the trenches with salt water. It 

 appears extraordinary that this fish, although it constantly inhabits fresh-water 

 trenches, is never found (not to my knowledge at least) in the natural pools or rivulets 

 of fresh water ; and I am not certain whether it is ever found in the proper salt water 

 of the ocean, for the water of the coast is seldom very salt, «fcc. The only obvious 



