402 mtjllidjE. 



e. Half-grown : 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 jilways entertained on the 

 specific difference between Mullus barbatus 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 abrupt upper 

 profile of the snout in M. barbatus. The maxiUary is thin, oblong, 

 as broad at the base as at the extremity ; the intermiaxiUary feeble^ 

 thin, 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 surface of 

 the infraorbital ring ; there is a wide slit between the epi- and pre- 

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

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

 there is a rudimentary muciferous channel between the margin of 

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

 The operculum is irregularly quadrangular, the posterior side being 

 emagriiate. The sub- and interoperculum are thin. iThe prseorbital is 

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

 infraorbital ring very narrow. The frontal bones are fiat, 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 roimded, 

 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 their whole length. 



There are ten abdominal and fourteen caudal vertebrae, the length 

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

 latter as 1:1-4. The neural, haemal, interneural and interhgeraal 

 spines are very feeble. 



4. MULLOIDES*. 



Upeneits, sp., Cue. 8( Vol. iii. p. 456. 

 MuUoides, Bleek. Ceram, ii. p. 697. 



* 1. Upeneus raartinicus, Cuxk cf- Val. iii- P- 483. — Martinique. 



2. parvus, Poey, Memor. Cuba, p. 226. — Cuba. — This fish maj belong 



to another group. 



3. — — balteatus, C'lcv. 8f Val. iii. p. 484. — Cuba. — A very doubtful species. 

 4. mauritianus, Bcrin. Prnr. Comm. Zool. Soc. i. p. 69. — Mauritius. 



