154 
ACANTHOPTERYGII. — MUGILID^E. 
or lunate* The stomach terminates in a fleshy j 
gizzard, resembling that of a bird. 
The Mullets, according to the Prince of Ca- 
nino’s recent conspectus, amount to eighty known 
species ; but if we include the Atherines, or Sand- 
Smelts, which Cuvier and Yarrell unite with this 
group, but of which the Roman zoologist consti- 
tutes a separate Family, — we shall have fifty 
more species. They are widely scattered over 
the globe, inhabiting both fresh and salt waters. 
The European species are gregarious, haunting 
the coasts in large shoals, entering the mouths 
of rivers at certain seasons, and periodically re- 
turning to the sea. Experiments, however, have 
proved that they will not only live but thrive, 
when confined to fresh water. Mr. Arnold of 
Guernsey, having a lake of fresh- water about 
three acres in extent, put into it marine fishes of 
various species for trial, among which was the 
Grey Mullet. Selecting a number of the fry^ 
of about a finger’s length, he transferred them 
to the pond, and found, after a few years, that 
the Mullet were the most improved of all the 
sea-fishes that he had introduced. Specimens of 
these, weighing four pounds, were taken from 
the pond, and proved fatter, deeper, and heavier, 
than others of similar length which were taken 
in the sea. 
The Mountain Mullet [Mugil monticola) of 
Jamaica, and another species that inhabits the 
fresh-water streams of that island, are found in i, 
situations which almost preclude the supposition 
of their ever visiting the sea. 
It is commonly believed that the Mullet is not ! 
a carnivorous fish, but that it confines itself to j 
