62 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



total length. Eye. High up, i to 2 diameters from the 

 end of the snout ; i diameters in the postorbital portion of 

 the head, and I to li diameters apart. Profile of forehead 

 more or less steep, in some examples descending almost 

 vertically. Preorbital much higher than broad, sometimes 

 nearly twice as much. The posterior extremity of the 

 maxilla reaches to beneath the anterior edge of the eye. 

 Barbels. Reach to below the hind margin of the preopercle. 

 Teeth. In two rows of obtuse ones in the lower jaw, but 

 none in the upper ; rounded ones on the vomer and palatine 

 bones. Fins. Spines of the first dorsal having weak 

 extremities, the second to the fourth about the same 

 height, and equal to two-thirds of the length of the head ; 

 subsequently they decrease in length. Second anal spine 

 much longer than the first. Scales. The majority of 

 examples have 2\ rows between the lateral-line and the 

 back, but some have 3^-. Colours. Vary considerably : in 

 the red mullet, Mullus barbattts, the colours being plain red ; 

 but in the surmullet, M. surmuletus, there are longitudinal 

 stripes along the body, which may be concealed, while the 

 rich satin-red colour becomes vivid after the removal of the 

 scales. Professor Steindachner examined no less than 

 seventy-five examples, and found so many variations in the 

 form of the profiles of their snouts, that he came to the 

 conclusion that they were both merely varieties of one 

 species. Whether two species exist or not, it is very 

 evident that all the British examples are within the limits 

 of variation in one species. 



Habits. In normal seasons these fish are found along 

 the southern coast, in Cornwall at about twenty miles out 

 to sea in March, and from nine to ten in May, when they 

 come in with the mackerel, but are said to be of a roving 

 disposition. They are evidently off our coast all the year 



