MUGIL MACROLEPIS.— Smith. 
Pisces — Plate XXVIII. Fig. 2 and 2 a. 
M. superne pallide purpureo-griseus ; dorso capiteque superne flavo-viridi-tinctis ; lateribus inferne abdo- 
niineque flavo-albis, purpureo-tinotis ; pinna anale versus corpus carnosa, squamis tecta, postice 
fere recta ; corporis squamis magnis, duris, in seriebus longitudinalibus undecim dispositis ; naribus 
duplicibus approximate. 
Colour. — The upper surface of the head, the back, and the upper parts of 
the sides intermediate between lavender-purple and pearl-grey ; the upper 
part of the head and centre of the back anterior to dorsal fin tinted with oil- 
green. Lower parts of sides and the abdomen yellowish white faintly 
clouded with lilac-purple ; the hinder edge of each scale semipellucid. 
Operculum pale purple-white, slightly clouded with violet-purple ; infra- 
orbital space white tinted with ochre-yellow. 
Form, &c. — Figure moderately robust, dorsal outline nearly straight, ventral 
between head and anal fin much arched, behind anal nearly straight. Four 
rows of quadrangular scales below eyes, each row directed slightly down- 
wards, the two lowermost rows of each side commence immediately at the 
hinder extremity of the lower jaw ; scales of operculum large, and the hinder 
edge of each somewhat three-sided ; the scales adjoining the outer margin of 
the eye smallest. Scales of the back and sides very large and hard, the hinder 
edge of each arched, some towards the middle of the body more or less pointed ; 
they are disposed in eleven longitudinal rows, the row immediately over base 
of pectoral fin consisting of thirty-four scales. The base of the anal fin 
pulpy, and covered with moderately large scales ; the rayed portion of anal, 
ventral, second dorsal, and caudal fins coated with small delicate membranous 
scales ; hinder edge of ventral and anal fins nearly even ; pectoral fin 
superiorly elongated and pointed ; the base of ventral and first dorsal mar- 
gined on each side with an elongated and pointed scale. Head one-fifth of 
length of fish reckoning to middle of the hinder edge of caudal fin. Scales 
of upper surface of head very large and irregularly shaped ; nostrils double, 
those of each side close together, and the hindermost much the largest ; nose 
moderately broad and slightly arched. 
Length of specimen described 15 inches. 
1 D. 4; 2 D. 6 or 7 ; P. 14; V. 5 ; A. 9; C, 15. 
Inhabits rivers and fresh-water lakes. 
