74 
ACANTHOPTERYGII. MULLID.«. 
recorded what I have been told by persons in 
other respects well instructed and worthy of cre- 
dit.”* 
Family III. MullidjE. 
(^Surmullets) ^ 
This also is a Family of limited extent, arranged 
by Cuvier with the Perches, Its distinctive cha- 
racters are these : — the shape is somewhat oval, 
but the fore parts are thick in proportion to the 
hind; the head is large, somewhat compressed, 
higher than broad; the profile is abrupt, approach- 
ing to a vertical line ; the eyes are placed near 
the summit, but look laterally; the mouth is 
small, armed with minute teeth ; the lower jaw is 
furnished with two fleshy beards {cirri), which 
depend from its under side ; the line of the back 
is arched, that of the belly nearly straight ; the 
gill-cover and body are clothed with large scales, 
easily detached : there are two dorsal fins, widely 
separated ; the caudal is forked. 
About fifty species are included in this Family, 
contained in tw^o genera, Mullus and Upeneus- 
The former of these, containing but two species, 
is found in the Mediterranean and in the British 
seas ; the latter and more numerous one, little 
differing from it in appearance or structure, is 
distributed over the tropical parts of the ocean. 
They are nearly all coloured with different shades 
of red, often varied with yellow or pale stripes ; 
their flesh is much esteemed. 
* Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss. iii. 346. 
