402 mitllid^t;. 



('. Half-growii : skeleton. Mediterranean. From the Haslar Col- 

 lection. 

 /. Half -grown. Dalmatia. 

 g. Half-grown. Dalmatia. 

 h. Adult : skin : bad state. From Gronovius's Collection. 



Skeleton. — The doubts which I have always entertained on the 

 specific difference between Miillm harbafus and surmuletus are still 

 more increased by the examination of the skeletons. Both are so 

 much like each other, that they need only one description. There 

 is no difference at all between them except in the more abnipt upper 

 profile of the snout in 31. harbatus. The maxillary is thin, oblong, 

 as broad at the base as at the extremity ; the intermaxillary feeble, 

 tliin, with the posterior process shorter than the descending branch, 

 which shows a flat prominence on its posterior margin. The man- 

 dibulary also is thin, with some pores, and becomes suddenly very 

 narrow near the symphysis. The entopterygoid is well ossified, and 

 extends upwards to the bony plate situated at the inner siu^face of 

 the infi-aorbital rmg ; there is a wide slit between the epi- and pre- 

 tympanic. The length of the inferior limb of the prteoperculum is 

 three-fifths of that of the posterior ; both meet at a rounded angle ; 

 there is a nulimentary muciferous channel between the margin of 

 the bone and the inner ridge, which is rounded and scarcely elevated. 

 The opercidum is ii'regularly quadrangular, the posterior side being 

 emarginate. The sub- and interopercidum are thin. The prseorbital is 

 oblong, twice as long as ^vide, and very porous ; the remainder of the 

 infraorbital ring very narrow. The frontal bones are flat, with some 

 slight ridges and grooves. The occipital crest is very feeble, and not 

 more developed than the lateral crests ; the interior lateral crest does 

 not extend backwards to the articulation of the suprascapula. The 

 basal portion of the brain-capsule is neither compressed nor rounded, 

 and the basisphenoid has a large opening before the occipital joint. 

 The barbels are fixed to the basihyal ; the urohyal is formed by three 

 plates, the two lower of which are rather convergent towards each 

 other. The ulna and radius are dilated, and the openings between 

 them and the humerus are very small. The inner plates of the pubic 

 bones are broad, and joined together in theii* whole length. 



There are ten abdominal and foiu'teen caudal vertebrfe, the length 

 of the former portion of tlie vertebral column being to that of the 

 latter as 1 : 1-4. The neural, haemal, intemeural and interhsemal 

 spines are veiy feeble. 



4. MULLOIDES*. 



tlpeneus, sp.. Cur. 4' Val. ill. p. 45G. 

 INnilloides, Bleek. Ceram, ii. p. 697. 



* 1. Upeneus martinicus, Cuv. ^ Val. iii. p. 483. — Martinique. 



2. parvus, Poey, Mcmor. Cuba, p. 226. — Cuba. — This fisli maj belong 



to anotlier group. 



3. balteatus, Cuv. 4" VaL iii. p. 484. — Cuba. — A very doubtful species. 



4. mauritianus, Bom. Proe. Conim. Zool. Soc. i. p. 5Q. — Maiu-itius. 



