346 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Family, XXXIY— MUGILID^. 



Branchiostegals from four to six : psendobranchisB. Gill-openings wide : gills four. Form of body 

 oblong, compressed, whilst the head and anterior portion may be depressed. Eyes lateral, with or without 

 adipose lids. Mouth narrow or of moderate width. Opercles usually unarmed. Teeth very fine, sometimes 

 absent. Two dorsal fins, the first consisting of four stiff spines : anal slightly longer than the second dorsal : 

 ventral abdominal and suspended from an elongated shoulder bone, it consists of one spine and five rays. 

 Scales cycloid, rarely ctenoid. Lateral-line absent. Pyloric appendages generally few. Vertebrae 24. 



In the marine forms of mullets the scales are usually cycloid or very feebly ctenoid, but in those species, 

 if. corsula, M. caseasia, and M. Hamiltonii, whioli mostly or entirely reside in fresh water the scales are strongly 

 ctenoid, and the two last have only two csecal appendages. 



These fishes are extensively distributed throughout the seas of Indja, some ascending tidal rivers or 

 being found in estuaries. The young, as a rule, appear to enter large rivers and such congenial places. As 

 regards the strictly fresh- water forms they seem to be confined to the larger rivers, as the Ganges, Jumna, arid • 

 Irrawaddi. 



As a rule these fishes in their fresh state are esteemed as food by both Europeans and natives, they are 

 also extensively salted and sun-dried. In Canara an objection was raised to eating them, on the ground that 

 their heads much resem.bled those of snakes. 



'As mullets putrefy very rapidly ip hot climates, especially if large, the whole of their bodies become 

 distended with gases.* This appearance may be persistent if the fish is not opened. 



Genus, 1 — MuGiL, Artedi. 



BranoMostegals from four to six : pseudohrcmehice. Eyes with or without am, adipose lid. Mouth more or 

 less transverse, with a shallow cleft, and the anterior edge of the mandible sharp. Teeth, when present, minute. 

 Pyloric appendages generally few. (2-10). Upper portion of the stomach very muscular. 



Fishes of this genus may for convenience be divided into those which possess, or are deficient in, 

 adipose eyelids. In some the second dorsal commences opposite, anterior or posterior to the origin of the anal, 

 whilst an elongated axillary scale may be present or absent. Usually fishes in this genus have eight or nine 

 branched rays in the anal fin, counting the last divided to its base as one, but in some species, as M. parsia, 

 either number may be found. 



SYNOPSIS or SPECIES. 



A. TVith adipose eyelids well developed. 



1. Mugil spdgleri, A. f, L. l.f 40-42, L. tr. 11-12. Broad posterior eyelid. Head 4f to 5, height of body 

 4| to 5 m the total length. Eyes 2/7 of length of head, 3/4 of diameter fi-om end of snout. Extremity 

 of maxilla visible. Anterior fourth of anal before second dorsal. A long axillary scale, 22 rows before dorsal 

 fin : twelfth and twenty-fifth scales of lateral-line correspond to origins of first and second dorsal fins. Dark 

 axillary spot. 



2. Mugil cwnnesius, A. |, L. 1. 35, L. tr. 12. Broad posterior eyelid. Head 5i height of body 4i in the 

 total length. Eye 3i to 4 m length of head, 2/3 of a diameter from end of snout. Extremity of maxilla just 

 visible. Anal commences rather anterior to second dorsal. A long axillary scale. Eighteen rows before dorsal 

 fan : tenth and twentieth scales of lateral-line carrespond to origins of first and second dorsal fins 



3. Mugil earinatus, A. f , L. 1. 34-36, L. tr. 11. Broad posterior eyelid. Head 4i to 4i, height of body 

 bio hi m the total length. Eyes 4^ in length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout. Extremity of maxilla 

 visible. Anal commences slightly anterior to second dorsal. No long axillary scale : 24 or 25 rows 

 before dorsal fin : ninth and twenty-first scales of lateral-line correspond to origins of first and second dorsal 

 nns. Base of pectoral dark.' 



„ , „^.- ^Pgiifa^ioeps A.^^ L. 1. 33-35, L. tr. 11. Broad posterior eyelid. Head 4i to 5, height of body 

 5p to 6 m the total length. Eyes 6i to 7 in length of head, li diameters from end of snout. End of maxilla 

 visible. Anal commences shghtly anterior to the second dorsal. No long axUlary scale : 20 rows before dorsal 

 fan : tenth and twenty-first scales of lateral-line correspond to origins of first and second dorsal fins. A dark 

 ime along each row of scales. 



6. Mugil pan-sia, A. ^?^, L. 1. 34-35, L. tr. 11-12. Broad posterior eyelid. Head 5 to 5^, height of body 



t Bvtl'Tn MnUpff f/'''' "^t^ '° '''rP'^i' ^PP^'*'"' ^""^ "^*^"^ '° P'^^'^lly °^ entirely preventing this. 

 lateral-Unl Skte. °'""'"'' °^ '"''' °^ ''=^'''' ''™'° '^« "^"^^ '° ^^^ ^^ °^ the caudal fin, as no true 



