THE THICK-LIPPED GREY MULLET. 229 



than the third, which is the longest., and like the remainder soft and 

 flexible ; the sixth ray as long as the base of the fin ; anal fin con- 

 cave, with the last ray but two the shortest, of the same form 

 as the second dorsal but rather larger. Caudal forked or lunate, 

 depending on the width of expansion ; pectorals about three-fourths 

 of the length of the head, the second, third, and fourth rays longest ; 

 all the rays except the first branched ; ventrals somewhat shorter, 

 all the rays soft and branched, except the first which is spiny ; last 

 ray connected to the body by a fine membrane passing off from half 

 way up its length. Intervening membranes of the caudal fin covered 

 with small scales, which diminish in size as they approach the sum- 

 mits. Colour of the back dusky blue ; sides and belly silvery ; the 

 former marked with seven or eight longitudinal dark lines. Num- 

 ber of fin rays — 



IstD. 4;2dD. 10; P. 15; V. 6; A. 11 ; C. 14 ; B. 6. 



According to Mr Yarrell, Mr Couch is the only natu- 

 ralist who has noticed the appearance of Mugil chelo on 

 the British coast. " This fish, 11 says Mr Couch, " is gre- 

 garious, frequenting harbours and the mouths of rivers, in 

 the winter months, in large numbers, all of which are just 

 of one size. 11 



It is singular that this fish, as common as it is on many 

 parts of the British coast, should have been so long mista- 

 ken for the Mugil cephalus of Cuvier, and still is by many 

 confounded with the Mugil capito. Dr Hancock appears 

 to have been the first of our own naturalists to remark that 

 the grey mullet of the British coast was not the true Mu- 

 gil cephalus. He named it M. Britannicus* 



This fish I have observed to be excessively common in 

 the months of September and October on the Devon shire 

 coast, particularly off Exmouth, Teignmouth, and Brix- 

 ham. I have found it common on the west coast of Scot- 

 land, and occasionally large shoals of them appear on the 

 east coast. Dr Johnston has noticed it off Berwick, and in 



■ Loud. Quart. Journ. of Science, 1830, p. 129, on the authority ofjenyns. 



