150 



PLEBEIAN POLYNEME. 



Polynemus Plebeius. P. griseus, lineis supra longitudmalibua 



subnigris, digitis utrinque quinquc, pinnis basi squamosis, cauda 



furcala. 

 Grey Polyneme, marked above by longitudinal blackish lines, 



with five thoracic filaments on each side, all the fins scaly at 



the base, and forked tail. 

 Polynemus radiis quinque curtis liberisque jugularibus. Bloc/i. 



#.400. 

 Polynemus plebelus. Brouss. ichth. fasc. 1. Lin. Gmcl. p. 



1401. 



GENERAL appearance that of a Mullet, but with 

 the head very obtuse in front, the mouth appearing 

 as if placed beneath : colour silvery-grey, with a 

 dusky tinge on the upper parts, and several dusky 

 lines running from head to tail above the lateral 

 line : scales rather large : all the fins scaly to some 

 distance from the base : tail forked : thoracic fila- 

 ments five, in number on each side : the first of 

 these is said by Gmelin to exceed the length of the 

 body, the rest decreasing gradually : in Dr. Bloch's 

 figure however, they are all represented as com- 

 paratively short, scarcely reaching half the length 

 of the body, and he forms his specific character of 

 the fish from this very circumstance, distinguishing 

 it by the shortness of the filaments. It must how- 

 ever be obvious to every one that in a particular of 

 this nature no great dependance can be placed on 

 descriptions made from an individual specimen, 

 which may have easily met with some accidental 

 mutilation of these delicate organs. 



