MULLTTS.] PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT, 337 



bottom of the water, with only its head exposed. It is probably the small 

 species alluded to by Willughby*, under the name of Otterjrike. 



, GEN. (1.) SPHYRjENA, Schn. 



(2.) vulgaris, Cuv. et Val. Poiss. torn. in. p. 242. S. Spet, 



Lacep. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. torn. v. p. 326. Esox Sphyrcena, 



Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 515. Bloch, Ichth. pi. 389. Sea-Pike, 

 Couch in Linn. Trans, vol. xiv. p. 84. 



A very doubtful native. Inserted by Mr. Couch in his list of Cornish 

 Fishes, accompanied by a remark that he had been informed that a fish, 

 which he could refer to no other species but this, had been taken some time 

 since near Falmouth. He had never, however, himself met with a spe- 

 cimen. Inhabits the Mediterranean. 



GEN. 3. MULLUS, Linn. 



8. M. Surmuletus, Linn. {Striped Surmullet.) Red ; 

 sides with longitudinal yellow lines : profile descending 

 obliquely from the forehead. 



M. Surmuletus, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. I. p. 496. Bloch, Ichth. 

 pi. 57. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. i. pi. 12. Flem. Brit. An. p. 216. 

 Surmullet, Will Hist. Pise. p. 285. tab. S. 7. f. 1. Striped 

 Surmullet, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 274. pi. 53. ~Id. (Edit. 

 1812.) vol. in. p. 368. pi. 64. Striped Red Mullet, Yarr. Brit. 

 Fish. vol. i. p. 27. Surmulet, Cuv. et Val. Poiss. torn. in. p. 319. 

 Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 157. 



LENGTH. From twelve to fifteen inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Thick and blunt-headed, the profile falling 

 abruptly from the forehead: greatest depth contained four times and 

 a half in the entire length ; thickness rather more than half the 

 depth : head a little less than one-fourth of the whole length : eyes 

 large; mouth small; jaws equal; the lower one only with fine teeth 

 like velvet; teeth in the middle of the palate forming a pavement: 

 chin with two barbules two-thirds of the length of the head: scales 

 large, particularly those on the head and gill-covers, easily falling: first 

 dorsal commencing at a little less than one-third of the entire length 

 from the end of the snout ; its length half the depth of the body ; its 

 height somewhat exceeding its length ; first three rays nearly equal, the 

 others gradually decreasing: space between the two dorsals equalling 

 the length of the first : height of the second rather less than that of the 

 first ; its length somewhat greater; first ray shorter than the second 

 and third, which are equal and longest ; the succeeding ones gradually 

 decreasing ; all the rays branched : caudal deeply forked : anal similar 

 to the second dorsal, commencing a little more backward, but ending in 

 the same vertical line; all the rays except the first branched: finless 

 portion of the tail not quite one-fourth of the whole length, caudal ex- 

 cluded : pectorals not quite so long as the head, narrow, and somewhat 

 pointed; the first two rays simple, the others branched; fourth ray 

 longest : ventrals exactly beneath them, and nearly of the same length ; 

 first ray spinous; second and third longest; all the soft rays branched: 

 number of rays altogether, 



D. 78 or 9 ; A. 8 ; C. 15, and some short ones ; P. 17 ; V. 1/6. 



* Hist. Pise. p. 289. 



Y 



