338 



SCAXDIXAVIAN FISHES. 



\ Cuv.. Val., IliM. Xat. Poiss., vol. XI, p. 43, tab. 308; 

 Regne Anim. illnstr., Poiss., p. 165, tab. 76, tig. 1; Lowe, 

 Fish. Madeira, p. 163, tab. 23; Gthr, Cat. Brit. Mus., 

 Fish., vol. Ill, p. 442; Steind., Stzber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, 

 Natunv. CI., LVII, i (1868), p. 682; Wixth. Zool. Dan., 

 Fiske, p. 17, tab. Ill, fig. 6; Naturh. Tidskr. Kbhvn, ser. 3, 

 vol. XII, p. 25: Lu.u., «S'f., JVorj. Fi/k., vol. I, p. 413. 

 Mugil capita, Hanss., Ufvers. Vet.-Akad. Forh. 1880, No. 4, 

 p. 21; CoLi,. (p. p.), Nyt Mag. Naturv. Christ., Bd. 29 

 (1884), p. 72. 



The Golden Mullet i.s evidently an intermediate 

 fovni between the othev two species of this genus that 

 niav he ineluded in the Scandinavian fauna. The upper 

 lip is most like that of JSEitgil capita: hut the shape 

 of the roof of the palate, as Lilljebokg has pointed 

 out, most closely resembles that of Mugil chelo. The 

 most distinctive character lies in the great length of 

 the pectoral tins; and it is on tliis account that Couch" 

 lias conferred up(jn it the name of Longfinned Grej' 

 ]\Iullet. The name of Golden Mullet is derived from the 

 fact that in this species, it is stated, the golden-j'ellow 

 colour of the head, especially of a distinctly marked 

 spot on the gill-cover, in the living tish, is deeper than 

 in the other European species. In other respects, both 

 in colour, general appearance and size, it is essentially 



like the other two Scandinavian species, though tlic 

 largest example of this species of which we have in- 

 formation, is somewhat under 52 cm. long. 



The geographical extension of the Golden Mullet 

 coincides with that of the preceding species, though it 

 seems to l)e rarer nortli of the English Channel. Day 

 does not even include it among the fishes of Great 

 Britain and Ireland, (^nly three Scandinavian speci- 

 mens are known. The first, "a suiall Grav Mullet taken 

 on the 8th of November, 1852, in the Cattegat,"' is 

 mentioned by Wikthek (1. c.); the second, which is 

 295 nun. in length, measiu'ed to the end of the middle 

 caudal ravs, M'as taken bv .Mr. C. A. Hansson in a 

 Salmon-trap, oft" Stromstad, on the 12th of August, 

 1877; and the third, which measures 455 mm. to the 

 end of the middle caudal rays and 515 nun. to the 

 end of the upper lobe of the caudal tin, was caught, 

 according to Collett, oft" Holmestrand in Christiania 

 Fjord, on the ]5th of June, 1880. So great, however, 

 is the likeness that prevails among the Scandinavian 

 Gray Mullets, that it is quite possible that other in- 

 stances of the capture of this species may have failed 

 to attract attention. 



« Fish. Brit. Is!., vol. Ill, p. 10. 



