2i8 REPORT OF NEA¥ JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Premaxillaries protractile. Gill-openings wide, membranes sepa- 

 rate and free from isthmus. Gills 4, slit behind fourth. Gill- 

 rakers long" and slender. Pseudobranchiae large. Branchioste- 

 gals 5 or 6. Air-vessel large, simple. Intestinal canal long. 

 Peritoneum usually black. Vertebrae 24. Body covered with 

 rather large cycloid scales. No lateral line but furrow^s often 

 deepened on middle of each scale so as to form lateral streaks. 

 Two .short dorsal fins, well separated, anterior with IV stiff spines 

 the last of which is much shorter than others. Second dorsal 

 longer than first, similar to- anal. Anal spines II or III, grad- 

 uated. Ventrals abdominal, not far back and composed of I 

 spine and 5 rays. 



Valuable food-fishes of moderate or small size in the fresh- 

 waters and on the coasts of warm regions, feeding on organic 

 matter contained in mud. Two species on our coast. 



Genus MuGii. Linnaeus. 



The Mullets. 



Key to the species. 



a. Soft dorsal and anal almost naked. 

 aa. Soft dorsal and anal covered with minute scales. 



CEPHALUS. 

 CURE MA. 



Mugil cephalus Linnaeus. 

 Mullet. Striped Mullet. 



Striped Mullet. Mugil cephalus Linnaeus. 



