FISHES OF NEW YORK 365 



In 1898 the striped mullet was not abundant in the waters 

 seined till fall; the great schools were absent till October. 

 Several individuals were obtained in Mecox bay August 2 and a 

 larger number in Clam Pond cove, Great South bay, August 22. 



The young of this species are abundant in Gravesend bay in 

 midsummer; larger ones appear in September and October. 

 One winter, some years ago, mullet hibernated in the mud in 

 Sheepshead bay and were taken with eel spears. The mullets 

 feed and thrive most of the year in captivity, but will not sur- 

 vive the intense heat of summer. In the aquarium their food 

 includes hard clam and shrimp. 



In 1883 Jordan and Gilbert established a genus Q u e r i 

 m a n a for " little mullets with but two spines in the anal fin 

 and with the teeth in the jaws less ciliiform than in Mugil. 

 Adipose eyelid wanting; preorbitat serrate." The genus was 

 based on Myxus harengus of Gtinther. Querimana 

 is nothing more than the young of Mugil. The only good 

 character by which it was distinguished is the presence of two 

 anal spines instead of three; in all other respects Queri- 

 mana and Mugil agree perfectly. As a matter of fact, all 

 young M u g i 1 s pass through a Querimana stage in which 

 only two of the three anal spines are developed, the adipose eye- 

 lid is rudimentary and the teeth are comparatively stouter than 

 in the adult. The third anal spine of M u g i 1 is really a simple 

 articulated ray till the fish reaches a length varying from about 



40 mm to 50 mm. The first simple ray of the anal becomes a 

 spine by the breaking off at an articulation, the subsequent 

 sharpening of the point, and the deposit of hard material in the 

 articulations, thus forming a somewhat slender, but perfect, 

 spine. 



This fact of development was carefully studied in large series 

 of specimens in the U. S. National Museum, and it is both inter- 

 esting and important from the fish cultural as well as the sys- 

 tematic standpoint. In Mugil cephalus one example, 



41 mm long, shows the third anal spine very plainly; it is well 

 developed and has a sharp point, but several articulations still 



