374 AMERICAN FISHES. 
and its presence is made known by its frequent leaps from the water. It 
is said that the Mullet has long been known at San Diego, but that it first 
made its appearance at San Pedro in 1877. It is not well known either at 
Santa Barbara or Soquel, although occasionally taken at both places. 
Those fishermen who have given the matter any attention assert that the 
Mullet is gradually extending its range northward. It feeds on mud and 
minute organisms contained init. It is considered a good food-fish when 
taken from the ocean. In the muddy lagoons it acquires in summer a 
rank flavor.’’ 
The vernacular name—Mullet—of these fishes is an interesting reflexion 
of the history of the English people. Many, if not most, of our fish names 
are variants of those which prevail among the peoples of the Teutonic stock, 
but Mullet is not one of them. The terms applied to the species of the 
genus M/ugil in Germany are Meerasche, Meeralant, Harder, and Gross- 
kopf; and that prevalent in the Netherlands is Harder. In France many 
names are given to various species of the same genus, but along the shores 
of Normandy Mulet is the current designation, and the Norman invaders 
doubtless brought in the name, which has superseded in general usage any 
that prevailed before, to even a greater extent than beef, mutton, and pork 
have, for the table, supplanted ox, sheep, and swine. A more radical source 
of the name is Mugil of the ancient Romans, modifications of which under 
the forms of Muge, Mujon, Meuil, and Meuille also occur along the Atlantic 
coasts of France. 
The history of these Mullets of the genus A7ugz/ is to some extent compli- 
cated with that of another and widely distinct form—the genus AZu//us—on 
account of the similarity of names. These like names, however, are the 
outcomes of two different ones of the old Romans. They gave the name 
Musil to the species which still bear the name in scientific nomenclature, 
while to the Red Mullets or Surmullets they applied the name AZu//us. It 
was a species of the genus A/ullus—Mullus barbatus—that was esteemed 
for the excellence of its flesh as well as for the variety and beauty of its 
changing colors while dying. They were brought to the table alive and the 
guests were regaled with the sight of their last throes. Extravagant prices 
were paid for large fishes. By all they were highly appreciated. Some 
classical scholars may recall that Milo, after he had been forced into ban- 
ishment to Marseilles on account of the killing of Clodius, consoled Cicero 
for his failure in defence with the reflexion that “it was all for the best ; 
if you had spoken better I should never have tasted these admirable 
Marseilles mullets.” * A figure of the species is subjoined. 
* Church’s Roman Life, p. 230. 
