592 



THE OCEAN WOKLD. 



of the head approaching the vertical line ; scales large, two dorsal 

 fins, widely separated the rays of the first spinous, of the second, 

 flexible ; two cirri at the lower jaw. Two species are known, hoth 

 inhabitants of our west and south-west coasts : the Striped or Bed 

 Mullet (Mullus surmuletus), rare as British, and the Eed Mullet 

 (II. barbatus). The first is a fine bright vermilion red, with three 

 dominating yellow lines ; the throat, breast, ventral, and lower surface 

 of the tail are white, slightly tinged with rose ; the fins have their rays 

 more or less red, the iris of the eyes a pale gold colour, just touched 

 with red; the head bears two barbels. This beautiful fish is plentiful 



Fig. 383. Uranoscopus vulgaris. 



in the Mediterranean and sometimes in the Channel, common in the 

 gulfs of Gascony, and is frequently served on the table at Bordeaux 

 and Bayonne, where it is known as the barbel ; its flesh is a little 

 flaky, of an agreeable flavour, but less esteemed than the red mullet. 



The Eed Mullet (Mullus larbatus) is clothed in brilliant colours of 

 bright red, mingling with silvery tints upon the side and belly ; it 

 presents fine indistinct reflections, but none of the yellow lines which 

 occur in the preceding species. It is to its brilliant colouring that 

 the red mullet owes much of its celebrity. When we add that its 

 flesh is white, firm, and agreeable to the taste, the estimation in which 

 it was held by the ancients is sufficiently explained. With the Komans 

 the mullet was an object of luxury on which they expended fabulous 



