346 Dr. A. Giinther on the British Specie& of Mugil. 



Mugil capita. 



tainly has adopted Artedi as his guide. But Artedi has given 

 us admirable description of M. capito. 



This paper is devoted only to the British species of the genus, 

 all of which are comprised under the common name of Grey 

 Mullets. 



1. Mugil capito, Cuv. (The Short-finned Grey Mullet.) 



Nine soft rays in the anal fin ; no adipose eyelid ; upper lip 

 membranaceous, thin. The depth of the 

 body is one-fifth, or rather less than one- 

 fifth, of the total length. A distinct por- 

 tion of the maxillary bone is visible be- 

 hind the angle of the mouth. There is 

 a rather broad, elongate cuneiform space 

 at the chin, which is not covered by the 

 mandibularies and the interopercles. 

 The pectoral fin extends only to the 

 eighth or ninth of that series of scales 

 which commences from the shoulder 

 (lateral line), whilst the origin of the 

 spinous dorsal is vertically above the twelfth or thirteenth. A 

 short pointed scale in the axil of the pectoral. Root of the 

 pectoral with a black spot superiorly*. 



Cuvier was the first who stated that a species of Mugil occur- 

 ring on the English coast, and probably the same which had 

 been described by Willughby and figured by Pennant, is iden- 

 tical with that Mediterranean fish for which he had chosen the 

 name of Mugil capito. One year later (1830) the species was 

 examined by Hancock t, who, not being aware of the name given 

 by Cuvier, calls it M. britannicus ; he describes the lips as thin, 

 mentions a callus at the corner of the mouth, and nine anal 

 rays, so that we can scarcely doubt that specimens of the true 

 M. capito served for his description. The species has been fully 

 established for the British fauna by Couch and Yarrell, whilst 

 Parnell was obliged to borrow his description from Jenyns, as 

 the species appears to be scarce on the Scotch coasts. 



2. Mugil auratus, Risso. (The Long-finned Grey Mullet.) 



Nine soft rays in the anal fin ; circuit of the orbit adipose, but 

 not forming an eyelid ; upper lip thin. The depth of the body 

 is less than one-fifth of the total length. Only the outermost 



* Only those specific characters are given for this and the following 

 species which serve to distinguish them from other European Mugiles. 

 t Lond. Quart. Journ. Sc. 1830, p. 129. 



