MUGIL 
The body stout, compressed at the sides, covered with large firm 
scales. Head arched across; the mouth wide, with a narrow gape; the 
lips fleshy; teeth exceedingly fine; middle of the lower jaw bent up 
and received into a recess of the upper. Dorsal fins two, separate, 
the first with a few spinous rays. Ventral fins abdominal. 
As the close inquiries of Dr. Gunther into the several species of this 
family of Mullets appear to shew that there is a larger number of 
sorts on our coasts than naturalists have hitherto supposed, it will 
require on the part of an observer no small amount of discnminatiou 
to come to a conclusion conceming the examples which niay come in 
his way; and any inquiry on the subject, to be satisfactory, wiU demand 
that any doubtful example shall be fresh from the water, or, that be 
impossible, the specimens must have been preserved in a better manner 
than is usual with fishes. Our history and descnption of these Mullets 
will comprise, in the first place, those kinds with which we are 
acquainted, and after this we shall have recourse to that information 
with which the kindness of Dr. Gunther has supplied us, in assigning 
those distinguishing marks by which these little-known species may be 
recognised. The habits of these obscurer kinds, so far as they may 
differ from the others, ai'c still unknown. , 
These fishes are frequently called by the name of Grey Mullets, to 
distinguish them from the lied or Surmullets, from which they differ 
in almost every characteristic of form, colour, and habits. 
GREY MULLET. 
GREAT MULLET. MULLET. 
Mxigil, 
Mugil cephalus, 
capita, 
cephalus, 
capita. 
JONSTON; pi. 23. 
Willoughby; p. 274, table R, 3. 
Donovan; pi. 15. 
Cuvier. 
Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 217. 
Jenyns; Manual, p. 374. 
Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. i, p- 234. 
Gunther; Cat. Br. M., vol. iii, p. 439. 
