18 
SHORT GREY MULLET. 
found in the collection of that gentleman, the other portions 
of which generally were transferred to the collection of the 
British Museum. A fish must be exceedingly rare of which 
only two examples have been seen; but in the case of the 
Mullets the rarity becomes suspicious from the fact that it is 
the habit of all the species to keep near the shores. On the 
other hand a curtailment of proportions is far from being 
unusual in fishes, and when this takes place it commonly 
interferes with either the number or arrangement of other 
parts. On these accounts the Short Grey Mullet must remain 
for the present a doubtful species. 
