246 



FISHES. 



elongated body, very much flattened on the sides : their form has obtained 

 for them the name of Riband-Fishes and Scabbard-Fishes. 



FlG. 257. SCABBARD-FlSH. 



The Family of Mugiloids is distinct from all the preceding, 

 and is characterized by an almost cylindrical body covered with 

 large scales, a slightly depressed head, and short muzzle, a 

 transverse mouth armed with extremely fine teeth, two separate 

 dorsal -fins, and the ventral fins attached behind the pectoral. 

 They constitute a single genus, 



The Mullets (MugH}, which, although they bear in English the same 

 name, must not be confounded with the Red Mullet (Mnllus] described in a 

 preceding page. Their flesh is much esteemed. 



FIG. 258. THICK-LIPPED GKEY MULLET. 



ABDOMINAL SOFT-FINNED FISHES. ORDER 

 MALACOPTERYGII * ABDOMINALES. 



This division is composed of osseous fishes that have the upper 

 jaw moveable ; simple pectinate gills ; and the fin-rays soft and 

 flexible ; their ventral fins are suspended behind the pectorals, as 

 though they were attached to the abdomen, whence the name of 

 the Order. 



They may be divided as in the following table : 



* /iaAa/cos, malacos, soft; Trrfptiytov, pterygion, a Jin. 



