328 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



ranged side ]>\ side with each other and next to the 

 Ophioc&pJiididn', air-breathing, fVesh--\vater fishes of the 

 Indian region, together witli wliich family the)- were 

 unit(.'d by Cope" into a group, under the name of Perc- 

 esoces. Gill'', on the other hand, excluded the Ophio- 



Barracudas to the Gray Mullets (MuglUdfd), but separ- 

 ates from them, not only the Tcfiaf/oiiurichf, l)ut, still 

 more distincth', tlie OphiocephaJhhi'. In the case of 

 these last fishes tlie ventral fins are also thoracic, and 

 the only close resemblance they possess to the Gray 



replialichp from tliis group. Tliese varying opinions are Mullets, lies apparentlv in the scaly covering of the head, 

 also dependent on the different importance set on tlie The Scandinavian fauna contains only one of these 



structure of the dorsal fin, a character which unites the families. 



fam. muoilidj^:. 



Anterior part of tlie IkhIii hroail at the darsdl side <iiid niorc or less depressed, of tJie reidnil side viore eoiiipressed, 

 hnt terete. First dorsal Hii irith 4 {exfremchj seldom •>) stroruj spinous r<ii/s: second dorsal, as irell as the anaV, 

 ■irifli S or !> {seldoDi 7 or JO) hranehed iiii/s l)eliiiid the sineple, bat arfieitlafed raii at the hef/ii/nii/f/ of f]ie forviei' 

 fill and tlie three spinous rai/s'^ at the hef/iniiim/ (f the latter. JMouth transversely set, narroir or oidij slifjlitly 

 cleft laterallji. and farnished iritli snudl or sefiform jan-teeth. Se<des cycloid'', imbricate, fairly larye and on the 

 head e.rteiidii/t/ fonrard over tlie forehead : on each side of the base of tlie first dorsal fin and often at the upper 

 anyle of tlie jwctoral fin, as ivell as at the outer angle of the ventral fin, distinct, axillary scales ivith a lobate 

 elonyation. No distinct, continnoas lateral line, bid most of tlie scales pierced or incised to receive the opening 

 ducts of the system of the lateral line. Air-bladder large. Branchial arches all present. I'seudobranchice well- 

 developed. Gill-openings large. Uranchiostegul. rays 5 or (>'. Pyloric appendages feiv. Pyloric part of the sto- 

 mach muscular, sometimes like a bird's crair. Intestine long and arranged in numerous coils. Peritoneum black. 

 Vertebrcr :24' , the anterior abdominal vertebrce irith irell-developed or even strong ti'unsverse and spinous processes, 

 [lasuj bones of the pectoral fins short and fiat. Jiranched rays of the caudal fin 12. 



The Mugiloid family, which was recognised as dis- 

 tinct even by ( 'uvieu (1. c), contains extremely similar 

 species, the determination of which has been a point 

 ])oth difficult and debatable. The number of the spe- 

 cies cannot, thei-efore, be stated with any ])Ositiveness; 

 l)ut about a hundred species have been named. These 

 were distributed by Valenciennes'' among 4 genera, 

 by Guntiier'' among three and bv the American wi'iters 

 (till' and Johdan and Swain' among six. Ordy one 

 of these genera, the most typical and containing the 

 most numerous species of the Avliole fa mil}- occurs 

 within the limits of the Scandinavian fauna. The geo- 



graphical range of the rest of the family embraces all 

 the tropical and temperate seas; and many of the spe- 

 cies are recognised visitors of brackish or even fresh 

 water. These visits are not paid, however, as in the 

 case of the true Anadromous fishes, for the purpose of 

 spawning, but in search of food. The usual food of 

 these fishes consists of various minute animals'' and 

 decomposing substances which they search for at the 

 bottom, rooting up the nnid or sand or among the 

 seaweed. The buccal and pharyngeal apparatus are 

 also speciallv adopted to this purpose. The snout, 

 which is usually' verA' short, is furnished on each side. 



" L. f., p. 456. 



*■ Smilhsoii. Misc. Coll., Nn. 247, p. X?.. 



' Sometimes (in e.xotic f(irnis) Uic aiuil fin contains 11 or 12 branched rays. 

 '' Tl)c third of these rays may sometimes, however, be branched. 



' In most cases, however, llie scales are rongh (granulated) at the surface, and in sojue Indian fresh-water siiecies of tlie genus Miiyil, 

 according to D.\Y, this granulation may pass into marginal spines, the scales thus becoming ctenoid. 

 ■^ From 24 to 26, according to D.w. 



? Cuv., Vai,., Hiitt. JVat. Pom., Ionic XI, p. 1 : Mmjil, Cestnrus, Dajaus, IS'e.'stii:. 



'' Cut. Brit. Miis., Fi.tli.., vol. Ill, p. 400: Muyil, Agonostoma (= Cestrirus + Dnjaiw, + XeHic), .My.rns. 

 ' Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Pliilad. 18(').'!, p. lli'.t: CInmomiigil, /'livwinui/il. 

 J Proc. U. R. Nat. Mus., vol. VII, p. 261 : Qiierimaini. 

 *■ In the stomach of Miigil clielo Tuowpso.n (i\at. Hist, frcl., vol. IV, p. 10;.) fiiiunl i liictly small shelltisli. 



