414 REPORT OF THE 



The fish grows to the length of about 4 inches. It has more resemblance to the 

 Anchovy than to the other Silversides. It was first taken in New York waters 

 August I, 1898. A single example was seined in Mecox Bay, associated with the 

 Common Silverside. Only a few examples have been collected up to the present 

 time, the other localities of specimens being Quantic Bay and Blue Point, in Great 

 South Bay. No young individuals have been taken. 



Family MUGILID^. Mullets. 

 99. Striped Mullet {Miigil ccplialus Linnaeus). 



DeKay states that the Striped Mullet was first detected on the coast of New 

 York by Dr. Mitchill, who sent a specimen with the name and descrijDtion to Cuvier. 

 DeKay says they appear in our markets in the beginning of September, and are 

 highly esteemed. 



The Striped Mullet is known from Cape Cod to the Gulf of Mexico. In the 

 Chesapeake it is sometimes called Fat-back. At Woods Hole, Mass., states 

 Dr. Smith, it is commoner than the White Mullet. It is present from September to 

 the middle of October, going in large schools until about October i. 



Ayres states that the Striped Mullet was somewhat uncommon in Brookhaven. 

 He saw it only a few times and then not in great numbers, the individuals seldom 

 exceeding 5 inches in length. 



The young are abundant in Gravesend Bay in midsummer and larger ones appear 

 in September arid October. One winter some years ago they hibernated in the 

 mud in Sheepshead Bay and were taken with eel spears. This mullet was not 

 abundant in eastern Long Island during the summer of 1898, but in October large 

 schools made their appearance. 



No very young examples of the Striped Mullet were seen in Great South Bay 

 during the summer of 1901. On July 2'] the length of specimens collected ranged 

 from 4^ to '^y^ inches; on August 27 the length was from 6 to 6^ inches. 



The leaping of mullets is a well-known sight. The fish sometimes leave the 

 water almost perpendicularly, with the head up, and drop back tail first. At other 

 times they emerge head first, describe an arch above water, and return to the water 

 head first. Occasionally they leave the water in a horizontal position and fall back 

 on the belly. 



The tiny mullets, called "Whirligig Mullet" by Jordan & Gilbert, are the young 

 of common mullets with the spines of one of the fins (the anal) not fully developed. 

 The first ray of the immature anal fin becom.es converted into a spine when the fish 

 has reached the length of about P/j inches. 



