MULLIDiE. 21 



Family II. — MULLID^E, Swainson. 



Branchiostegals four : pseudobranchise present. Body rather elongated. 

 Profile of head more or less parabolic. Eyes lateral, and of moderate size. 

 Mouth rather small, having a lateral cleft. Two stiff barbels below the chin 

 belonging- to the hyal apparatus. Teeth feeble and variously placed in the jaws 

 and mouth. Two dorsal fins, situated at some distance asunder : the anal 

 similar to the second dorsal : ventral with one spine and five rays. Scales large, 

 feebly ctenoid, and rather deciduous. Air-bladder, when present, simple. 

 Pyloric appendages few or in moderate numbers. 



Geographical distribution. — Seas of the temperate portions of Europe as well 

 as in most of those of the tropics : more numerous in the eastern than in the 

 western hemisphere. Many young and some adults of exotic species have been 

 captured in rivers. 



Genus I. — Mullus, Limiceus. 



Definition as given for the Family. Teeth in the lower but none in the upper jaw : 

 present on the vomer and palatine bones. 



Geographical distribution. — From Scandinavia through the seas and coasts of 

 temperate Europe, the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, and the Black Sea : also at 

 least as far south in the North Atlantic Ocean as Madeira and the Canary Isles. 



Termed Trigle by the Greeks, from ancient times until the present, under the 

 supposition of their breeding three times yearly or else according to Athenaeus 

 that they only breed three times throughout their entire existence, their internal 

 organs being subsequently destroyed by parasitic worms. It was dedicated by 

 the Greeks to the triple-eyed goddess Hecate or Diana. The designation by the 

 Romans is said to have been changed to Mullus, framed, it has been supposed, 

 on their colour, which resembled that of the sandals worn by the Alban kings, and 

 subsequently by the Roman consuls, and which were afterwards adopted by their 

 emperors under the designation of Mullens. 



In the time of the Csesars the Mullets seem almost to have divided with them 

 the allegiance of the Roman people, all of whom sought to obtain the fish for 

 their repasts as a luxury of no common order and the ruling fashion of the time. 

 When Rome could no longer supply them in sufficient quantity they were 

 imported from elsewhere, especially Corsica and Sicily. Salt water vivaria were 

 constructed at enormous expense wherein they were kept, but Columella observes 

 that scarcely one in several thousand survived the transfer, which mortality he 

 ascribed to their nobility spurning confinement. Kept in the salt water ponds 

 they were carefully tended and taught to know their owner and come to be fed 

 when their respective names were called out. Here care was taken that by 

 judicious feeding they did not become emaciated, but it was observed that they 

 never increased in size. Seneca states that when the time had arrived for 

 presenting them at their owners' feast they were most valued if they expired in 

 the presence of the guests. Introduced in glass globes they were drowned in 

 piquant sauces or slowly boiled on the banqueting table before the company who 

 were thus able to view in comfort the varied and beautiful changing hues of the 

 expiring fish. Did it appear likely to burst during the process of cooking, skilful 

 cooks are said to have hindered this catastrophe by kissing the mullet's mouth ! 



These fishes realized high prices in Rome, due to the estimation in which they 

 were held, or the notoriety gained by the purchaser who paid the most excessive 

 sum : while the larger they were the more they were valued as being obtained 

 with greater difficulty. It is said that about the time of Horace they had attained 

 bo the maximum of their glory. Martial informs us that the price of a 4^ lb. fish 

 was ruinous: one of till), produced a sum equivalent to £48; and Asinius Celer, 

 an official who had attained consular dignity, paid £64. lis 8d for one still larger: 

 while even £240 was realized for an example of unusual size procured on the day 

 of a grand feast. A Roman is reputed to have disposed of a valuable slave in 

 order that with the proceeds he might for once indulge in eating a mullet : as 



