118 Red and Grey Mullets. 



It was a female, with ovary fairly well developed, and liad been 

 feeding on young fish. Its condition suggests a winter or spring 

 rather than summer or autumn spawning. Good sized Dory 

 are taken round Kent, but there are no special fisheries for 

 them. The shrimpers, Blackwater and Colne mouth, chiefly 

 get the small sized sort (Laver, I.e.). Josh Pitt caught 

 two fair-sized John Dorees in the Blackwater, 18th Sep- 

 tember, 1896. He called them "Jackdaws" (Fitch). 



Red and Grey Mullet Families (Mullul.a and Muyth'tla*). 

 With a similarity in common name these two families never- 

 theless are very distinct in fin position, shape of head, dentition, 

 scales, &c. The Red Mullets have long barbels, the Grey 

 Mullets have none. The former comes near the Perch tribe, 

 the latter is allied to the Sand Smelts. 



(1.) The SURMULLET or Striped Red Mullet (Mullus sur- 

 mulletus), so far as we know, has only been recorded in Boys' 

 List (op. cit.) within the limits of our District ; though, from its 

 reputed occurrence on the Sussex coast and erratic appearance 

 off Yarmouth, the probability is that we have occasional visitors 

 though unnoticed. One specimen, however, we can certify to 

 as having been captured in the Thames estuary, end of July, 

 1897. It was taken in the trawl. It measured 5 inches with 

 a body depth of lj inches. Quite recently Geo. Gilson told us 

 he has caught red mullet at rare intervals in the Estuary, and 

 of a size somewhat larger than that above described. This 

 species has its summer headquarters on the Cornish and Devon 

 coasts, lessening in numbers eastwards up Channel, and 

 retiring to deep water during the winter. Breeding occurs 

 July to September. Whether the so-called plain Red Mullet 

 (3/. barbatus) and the above are varieties of one species, or are 

 distinctly separate, ichthyologists are not agreed on. 



Fam. Mugilidce. Of the Grey Mullet group there are (1) 

 The THICK-LIPPED (or LESSER) GREY MULLET (Mugil chela) and 

 (2) the THIN-LIPPED or GREY MULLET (M. capita) more or less 

 residents with us. At Harwich, during June to September, 



