ii8 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



Breeding. Said to be in the winter months, but on 

 opening some on January 2/th, 1882, I found the ova not 

 nearly ripe, while the winter had been very mild. 



Habitat. This species would seem to be very rare on 

 the coast of Norway, but was possibly the form captured 

 off Denmark in the Cattegat, October 8th, 1852. Occa- 

 sionally taken on the shores of the German Ocean, becomes 

 more numerous along the south and south-west coasts of 

 Great Britain, and the Cape of Good Hope. It extends 

 through the Mediterranean to the fresh-water lakes of 

 Tunis, and in the Nile certainly as far as Cairo. 



In the British Isles some confusion respecting its distri- 

 bution exists. Many of the recorded Scotch examples 

 may belong to M. chelo, but the British Museum has 

 received specimens from the Firth of Forth. It would 

 seem to be occasionally taken off the Yorkshire coast, 

 where it is said to be resident and local. I have obtained 

 many examples, but all from the south and south-west 

 coast, captured between the months of September and 

 March inclusive. It occurs constantly on the Kentish and 

 Essex shores. 



In Ireland this species was not found by Thompson, 

 who, however, only had the opportunity of examining 

 mullets from the east coast. In the Cork Fauna (1845), 

 Dr. Harvey gives M. capita as certainly present, and 

 M. chelo with doubt. 



This fish exceeds 3 feet in length. 



2. Lesser Grey Mullet (Mugil chelo). 



Names. Thick-lipped mullet. 



B. vi, D. 4/i V. J, A. ^ , L.I. 43-45, L. tr. 15-16, Caec. 

 pyl. v-vii., Vert. . 



