GRAY MULLETS. 
327 
middle of the last century and the present time. At 
the end of the last century one specimen was found 
on the Cornish coast. 
All the Atlantic specimens that have been examin- 
ed, were females. This 'was also the sex of the only 
specimen yet found in Sweden, the above-mentioned 
specimen from Burholm, off Koster in the north of 
Bohuslan. In this specimen there was not the least 
trace of food in the stomach or the intestinal canal. 
In the specimen examined by Hancock and Embleton, 
the cmcal prolongation of the bottom of the stomach 
contained a few partially-digested ova. 
If it is really the case, as has been assumed, that 
the females approach the banks and coasts in order to 
deposit their eggs, and thus trespass upon regions where 
the pressure is too slight to suit them, still it is re- 
markable that the males do not fall victims to the same 
misfortune just as often. We may, therefore, equally 
well accept the other assumption made in order to 
account for the appearance of these fishes at the sur- 
face, that they have been driven by disease or some 
enemy — perhaps in pursuit of some prey — beyond 
the limits of the pressure necessary to their existence. 
The eggs of these fishes are small and fine as those 
of the Cod, and are contained in enormous numbers in 
the ovaries, which may be a metre long and an inch 
broad. As yet, however, we can scarcely decide with 
certainty the time of year at which the eggs are ripe. 
A specimen about 3 metres long, which was taken on 
the coast of Yorkshire on the 23rd of April, is stated 
to have had ripe roe ; but even in the month of August 
the Hitteren specimen contained “eggs fine as a grain 
of sand.” The spawning-season is thus doubtful, but 
is supposed by Collett to occur during the summer 
or autumn months. It is a matter of doubt, however, 
whether the deep-sea tishes are in this respect subject 
to the influence of the seasons. 
“The flesh is white and fine,” say Hancock and 
Embleton. “The smell of the fish,” says Lindroth, 
“was almost like that of raw fish in general, but when 
the skin was scraped clean of flesh, the fibres of the 
latter dissolved into mucus and water, which soon be- 
came rotten. The flavour of the flesh did not seem 
especially good, but somewhat offensive, this being pro- 
bably due to the repugnant smell diffused during the 
process of cleaning the skin. When boiled, the flesh 
was more firm and compact, like that of the Eel, but 
entirely destitute of fat and almost tough. The dogs 
refused to eat it, whether raw or boiled.” 
MITCilLIFORMES. 
Body terete or compressed like that of the Perches. Two dorsal fins , separate from each other a , the first short 
and containing few or weak spinous rays , the second in form and position analogous to the anal fin. Ventral 
fins of typical structure (V 5 ), but abdominal. 
According to Gunthers 6 establishment and defini- 
tion of this series of families, it includes fishes of very 
different habits. Some of them, the family Sphyrcenidce , 
belong to the most pronounced fishes of prey, with 
large gape and huge jaw-teeth, and comprise the barra- 
cudas of the tropical seas"’, which even venture to attack 
persons bathing. Others, on the contrary, the Atlie- 
rinidce, Tetragonuridce and Mugilidce, are feebly armed 
or even without true jaw-teeth, and live only on weak 
victims or decomposing substances. The former were, 
therefore, ranged both by Cuvier* 6 and Corf/ among 
the Perches, in spite of the fact that they have lost 
the immediate connexion between the ventral fins and 
the shoulder-girdle. The latter, even by Cuvier', were 
a In this respect Tetragonurus is exceptional. 
6 Cat. Brit. Mus., Fish., Syst. Syn. Acanth. Fishes , p. V III: Introcl. Study of Fish., p. 499; Hanb. Ichtli ., p. 355. 
c One species, Sphyrama spet or vulgaris, belongs to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic outside it, and is only slightly, if at all, 
different from one of the North American species. 
d R'egne Animal , nouv. ed., tome II, p. 156. 
e Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., Philad., new. ser., vol. XIV, p. 472. 
f L. 
c., 
230. 
P- 
