GEN. MULLUS. THE SURMULLETS. 137 



Ireland : it spawns in spring, and is often taken by 

 shrimpers. Being very quick in its movements, it 

 is even more dangerous to handle than its larger 

 congener. Mr. Pennant states that it buries itself 

 in the sand, watching for its prey, leaving only its 

 snout exposed; and if trod on, it immediately strikes 

 with great force ; and we have seen it, he adds, 

 " direct its blows with as much judgment as a 

 fighting cock." If trodden upon by bathers, as fre- 

 quently happens, it inflicts, says Dr. Parnell, a 

 'severe and painful wound, causing the part to swell, 

 and almost immediately to assume a dark brown ap- 

 pearance, which remains for five or six hours. The 

 best application is stated to be hot water, which 

 relieves the pain, and diminishes the swelling in the 

 course of half an hour. 



Gen. VII. Mullus, Surmullets. — Of the third 

 division of the family of Perches, the abdominal, 

 two species only, as stated above, are visitors of 

 the British shores. In designating them Surmul- 

 lets, we differ from Sir. Yarrell, in whose foot- 

 steps we are usually anxious to tread, and who 

 calls them Mullets. Our Eighth Family, as will 

 presently appear, is styled the Family of Mugilidaa 

 or Mullets, and our present fishes, so differently 

 placed in the arrangement, should surely have a 

 different name. This in fact has frequently been 

 assigned them, as by Pennant, Fleming, Jenyns, and 

 other British Naturalists ; and we see no sufficient 

 reason for leaving such good company, and con- 

 tinuing an old and unfortunate nomenclature. The 



