410 MUGILin.E. 



verj' little in the individuals of one and the same species ; the most 

 important are the number of the soft rays of the anal fin and of the 

 scales, the more or less developed eyelids, the position and length 

 of the fins, the form of the lips, of the cleft of the mouth, and of the 

 maxillary bone, and finally the form of the body. 



When we find one or more of these characters omitted in the de- 

 scription of a species, it is nearly impossible to recognize it again and 

 to distinguish it from the other allied forms ; hence the great num- 

 ber of doubtful species in tlie foot-note. In speaking of a lateral lino 

 in my descriptions of those fishes, I apply this term only for conveni- 

 ence' sake, meaning that series of scales which runs from the upper 

 angle of the operculum, above the pointed axillary scale, to the root 

 of the caudal fin. I have found that the form of the cleft of the 

 mouth oifers an excellent specific character, measuring its breadth be- 

 tween the two angles of the mouth, and calling its depth the vertical 

 drawn from the extremity of the symphysis of the mandibles on the 

 transverse line joining the two angles of the mouth. 



The anatomy of Mugil shows several remarkable peculiarities. 

 The following details are taken from M. septentr'wnalis. 



Phari/nijcal apparatus. — The fishes of this genus feed on organic 

 substances which are mixed up mth the sand or mud ; a consider- 

 able indigestible portion of the latter is swallowed ; and in order to 

 prevent larger bodies from passing, into the stomach, or substances 



2. Mugil albula, L. Sysf. i. p. 520, from Cafesb. South Carol, ii. pi. 5 ; Mitch. 



Lit. cj- Phil. Trans. New York, i. p. 447 ; Cuv. # Val. xi. p. 94 ; Delcay, 

 New York Fauna, Fishes, p. 146. — Atlantic coasts of the United States. — 

 This species, if really different, has never been completely described. 



3. breviceps, Cuv. §■ Val. xi. p. 106. — Gorea. 



4. borboniciis, Cuv. <f Val. xi. p. 11.3. — Bourbon. 



5. cyluidricus, Cuv. cf Val. xi. p. 132; Bleek. Sumatra, ii. p. 266. — Sea 



of Batavia and Sumatra. 



6. cascasia, Buck. Ham. Fish. Gang. pp. 217, 380 ; Cuv. cf- Val. xi. p. 145. 



Rivers of North Bengal. 



7. carinatus, {Ehrenb.) Cuv. df Val. xi. p. 148. — Red Sea. Indian 



Ocean. 



8. scheli, Forsk. p. 73 ; Cuv. 8f Val. xi. p. 152.— Red Sea. 



9. tade, Forsk. p. 74 ; Cuv. Sf Val. xi. p. 153. — Red Sea. 



10. buchanani, Bleek. Verhand. Batav. Gcnootsch. xxv., Beng. en Hiiidost. 



p. 99. — Rivers near Calcutta. 



1 1 . — — valenciennesii, Bleek. Natuurk. Tychchr. Nedcrl. Ind. 1858, xvi. p. 277. 



East Indian Arcliipelago. 



12. Bontah, Buss. ii. p. 64. pi. 180. 



13. Peddaraki, Buss. ii. pi. 182. — Mugil pedaralii, Cuv. cj- Val. xi. p. 137. — 



Coast of Coromandel. 



14. Mugil acutus, Cicv. &( Val. xi. p. 140. — Australia. 



15. melancranus, Richards. Ichth. Chi^ia, p. 248. — Hab. ? 



16. ventricosus, Richards. Ichth. China, p. 249. — China. 



17. chaptalii, Eyd. Of Soul. Voy. Bonite, Zool. i. p. 171. pi. 4. fig. 1 (bad). 



Sandwich Islands. 



18. lauvergnii, Eyd. S( Soul. I. c. p. 174. pi. 4. fig. 3 (bad).— China. 



19. grandisquamis, Cuv. cf- V(d. xi. p. lOS.^Gambia. 



20. parmatus, Cant. Catal. p. 94. — Pinang. 



21. berlandieri, Girard in U. S. V Mex. Bound. Surv. Fishes, p. 20. 



pi. 10. figs. 1-4 (bad). 



