THE BASS, BREAMS, AND RED MULLET 125 



typical genus the Common Sea-bream is an example, and its 

 allies are the Axillary Bream {Pagellus oxvenii), which lacks the 

 black spot on the shoulder ; the Pandora, or King of the Breams 

 (P. erythrinus), which is red, with blue spots ; the Spanish Bream 

 (P. bogaraveo), a smaller fish also spotted with blue ; and a 

 fifth and rare species, P. acarne. In the second group we have 

 Couch's Sea-bream {Pagrus vulgaris), which is our closest ally 

 of the aforenamed Australian snapper, and which has been taken 

 in our waters weighing 10 lb., and the equally rare Gilthead 

 (P- auraius), so-called from the crescent-shaped yellow mark 

 between the eyes. The third and fourth genera have but 

 one British representative apiece, and these are the Old Wife 

 {Cantharus lineatus), a silvery grey bream, with longitudinal 

 yellow bands on the body and dark spots on the fins ; and 

 the Bogue (^Box vulgaris), a bronze fish with a brown spot on 

 the pectoral fins. It is rare in our seas, though the writer 

 has caught scores off Leghorn. An example of the old wife, 

 which is usually described as a moderately deep-water fish, 

 was taken in shallow water in the seine-nets at the upper 

 end of the Hamoaze, Plymouth, in July, 1897. It is of 

 importance, when studying American works, to bear in mind 

 that their " common sea-bream " (c£ Bashford Dean, Fishes, 

 Living and Fossil, p. 225) is a wrasse {Ctenolabrus). 



MuUidae 



The Red Mullet 



The Red Mullet {pAullus surmuletus) is a small red fish 

 with from three to five longitudinal yellow bands, large thin 

 scales, and two barbels on the lower lip, which lie back in 

 grooves when not in use. Its teeth are small and blunt, and 

 there are none in the upper jaw, but some are also found 

 on the palate. There is a plainer form of this fish, whether 

 species or variety has not yet been determined by zoologists, 

 which lacks the yellow stripes, and is somewhat smaller in size. 



