FISHES. 179 



bution in trojiical and temperate waters, but the species ascend only a short distance 

 up the Pacific coast of North America, and are wanting in the northern Califomian 

 waters and further northwai-d. They are fishes that especially affect the brackish 

 waters, and although they belong to the category of sea-fishes, a few, especially in 

 tropical regions, are permanent residents of fresh water. Mullet is the name by which 

 the species are known to almost all of the English-speaking races, but they must not 

 be confounded with the celebrated mullet of the ancient Romans — the type of the 

 family MuUidae — for they belong to a different sub-order. A number of local mod- 

 ifications or prefixes to the name also occur: for example, the species along the 

 American coast at Cape Hatteras are called jumping mullet and sand mullet, and in 

 southeastern Florida, silver mullet and big-eyed mullet ; specific forms or conditions are 

 known as ' fat back ' in Northampton county, Virginia, and in Florida ; in Connecticut 

 small ones are known as the bluefish-mummichog, a name due to an imagined simi- 

 larity to the Funduli or true mummichogs. Seventy or eighty species represent the 

 family in various parts of the world, and they are divided into eight or nine genera. 

 The typical genus Mugil contains far more than all the others combined, and is the only 

 one represented in the European and in American waters north of South Carolina. All 

 the family have nearly the same external appearance ; the form is elongated, with the 

 back and ventral outline nearly parallel for the middle third of the length, and the 

 head flattened and covered with large scales (as is also the entire body) ; the mouth 

 is generally small and little extended backwards the teeth, when developed, as a 

 rule, are very small. Two dorsal fins are present the first has always four spines, the 

 first two of which diverge from the same base ; the second fin is oblong, and some 

 distance behind the first ; the anal is like and opposite the second dorsal ; the ventral 

 fins arise a short distance behind the pectorals; and the caudal fin is stout, more or less 

 emarginate, and has roundish lobes. The species associate together in large schools, 

 and periodically appear in the warmer season on the coast which they inhabit ; in the 

 north, at least, they are supposed to retire to deeper water in the winter. Small mul- 

 let, however, are abundant all the year round along the southern United States coast, 

 and isolated individuals are not infrequently taken. 



Two species of Mugil occur on the Atlantic coast of the United States north of 

 Florida, the Mugil alhula (identified by Jordan and Gilbert with the M. cephahis of 

 Europe) and the Mugil curema (better known as the M brasiliensis) ; both range 

 northward to Cape Cod, but the former is the most abundant in the north, and in the 

 south is one of the most important, according to some, the most important food fish 

 of the region. The M. albula has almost naked second dorsal and anal fins, and lon- 

 gitudinal stripes on the body ; the M. curema has scaly second dorsal and anal fins, 

 and there are no distinct lines of color along the sides. Other species advance on the 

 Florida coast. Besides, a very small mullet of a peculiar generic type ( Qiierimana 

 gyrans) may be found from Florida to Charleston ; it might easily be taken for the 

 young of the large mullet, but is distinguished by the distinct teeth and the develop- 

 ment of only two anal spines. 



According to Goode, the large mullets begin to assemble along the Florida coast 

 in schools in the height of summer, probably pi-eparatory to spawning, and at this time 

 the eggs commence to mature. In this season they swim at the surface, and are then 

 pursued by enemies in the water and the air, and also fall an easy prey to the fisher- 

 men. ' They appear to prefer to swim against the wind, and school best with a north- 

 east wind. They also run against the tide. In Florida the spawning season seems to 



