218 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
Premaxillaries protractile. Gill-openings wide, membranes sepa- 
rate and free from isthmus. Gills 4, slit behind fourth. Gill- 
rakers long and slender. Pseudobranchize large. Branchioste- 
gals 5 or 6. Air-vessel large, simple. Intestinal canal long. 
Peritoneum usually black. Vertebrze 24. Body covered with 
rather large cycloid scales. No lateral line but furrows often 
deepened on middle of each scale so as to form lateral streaks. 
Two short dorsal fins, well separated, anterior with IV stiff spines 
the last of which is much shorter than others. Second dorsal 
longer than first, similar to anal. Anal spines II or III, grad- 
uated. Ventrals abdominal, not far back and composed of I 
spine and 5 rays. 
Valuable food-fishes of moderate or small size in the fresh- 
waters and on the coasts of warm regions, feeding on organic 
matter contained in mud. ‘Two species on our coast. 
Genus Mucit, Linnzus. 
The Mullets. 
Key to the species. 
a. Soft dorsal and anal almost naked. CEPHALUS. 
aa. Soft dorsal and anal covered with minute scales. CUREMA 
Mugil cephalus Linnzus. 
Mullet. Striped Mullet. 

Striped Mullet. Mugil cephalus Linneus. 
