42 
PISCES THORACICI. MULLUS. 
MULLUS. 
GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Caput compressum, elective, squamis tectum. 
Membrana branchiostega racliis tribus. 
Corpus squamis magnis, facile deciduis. 
The head compressed, sloping, squamous. 
Three rays in the branchial membrane. 
The body covered with large scales, 
easily falling off. 
No. CLVII. 
Mullus cirris geminis sub mento; squamis magnis, ciliatis, deciduis; maculis duabus ovalibus 
supra lineam lateralem. 
The Mullus with two cirri under the chin; large ciliated scales, adhering loosely; two 
oval spots above the lateral line. 
Mullus barbatus Linn. S. J\ r . p. 49 4. 
Called by the Natives Rahtee Goolivinda. 
8 
B. iii. D. 8. 9. P. 15. V. 6. A. 7. C. IS. 
The body oblong, compressed, but somewhat roundish ; covered with large, orbicular scales, ciliate at the edge, 
obliquely notched at the base, deciduous. 
The head large, declivous, compressed,somewhat angular; rostrum obtuse, without scales, polished. Mouth 
wide, lips thickish, loose. Jaws unequal; the upper arched, longer and broader, the under more extractile; 
both set with regular, marginal, almost straight, teeth. Tongue sub-triangular, obtuse, smooth, fixed. Eyes 
supreme, remote, orbicular, iris red. Nostrils very small, near the point of the rostrum, distant from the orbit. 
Opercula consist of three unequal plates, the posterior with a membranous margin, and a small spine above 
the pectoral fin. The branchial membrane covered ; the aperture large. 
The cirri rise externally from beneath the os hyoides, not from the lower jaw. 
The trunk. The back gently curve, convex, the sides compressed; the breast and abdomen prominent, but 
sometimes flat. The branchiae four-leaved, the exterior tuberculate and pectinate; the others tuberculate. The 
lateral line supreme, curves gently, almost parallel to the back. The anus small, nearly central. 
The fins. First dorsal scapular, triangular, spinous; the second lumbar, gently declining. The pectoral 
nearly middle, acuminate at top; the ventral distant from each other, as long as the pectoral, lanceolate; the 
anal fin of the same form as the opposite dorsal, but narrower; the caudal bifid. 
The colours extremely beautiful when the fish is alive, but quickly fade after death. The upper part of the 
head of a dark purple, with some lines of light violet; the cheeks pink, variegated with pale yellow, and waving 
light-blue lines ; the lips reddish, with a dark spot at each corner of the mouth. The back a dark changeable 
purple; two oblong oval spots on the lateral line: the first golden and white, glows as if illuminated, but less 
permanent; the second nearer the tail, a very dark purple, forms a beautiful contrast. The sides are faintly 
