MTJGILID^. 
363 
1885, p. 247, pi. xxii. fig. 2), from the Upper Cretaceous of West¬ 
phalia, does not belong to this genus or even to the Atherinidie. 
The type specimen, in the Academy of Miinster, is too imperfect 
for exact determination but seems to be a Scopeloid fish. 
Family AIUGILID.F]. 
Trunk more or less elongate and laterally compressed. Pre¬ 
maxilla excluding maxilla from border of upper jaw ; mandible not 
prominent and cleft of mouth small, with dentition feeble or absent; 
opercular apparatus complete, with about five branchiostegal rays, 
and the gill-opening wide. Lower pharyngeal bones separate. 
Yertebrse few, not more than 24 to 26 in number; centra of 
abdominal vertebrae with transverse processes for support of ribs. 
Pelvic fins with one spine and five divided rays, abdominal, but the 
pelvic bones in contact with the postclavicle ; two dorsal fins, the 
anterior spinous and with very few rays; anal fin opposed to the 
posterior dorsal. Scales in regular series, large or of moderate size. 
In the existing fauna, these are fishes with a protractile mouth 
feeding chiefly on organic substances or small animals mixed 
" with mud or sand. The organs of the pharynx are accordingly 
modified into a filtering apparatus. The various genera, with 
numerous species, now inhabit the coasts and freshwaters of all the 
temperate and tropical regions. The only known extinct species 
seem to belong to the surviving genus Miigil, 
Genus MUGIL, Linnseus. 
[Syst. hTat. ed. 10, 1758, p. 316.] 
Snout short and obtuse, and the cleft of the mouth not reaching 
the orbit; no true teeth in the mouth, but a calcified setiform 
fringe on the border of both jaws ; anterior extremity of mandible 
acute ; antorbital cheek-plate serrated ; eleven or twelve abdominal 
and thirteen or twelve caudal vertebrae; the abdominal vertebrae 
with strong, broad transverse processes, while several of the anterior 
neural spines are expanded into short and broad laminae, sometimes 
partly confluent. Pelvic fins inserted in advance of anterior dorsal 
fin ; anterior dorsal comprising four spines ; posterior dorsal and 
anal nearly similar and opposed ; caudal fin forked. Scales of 
moderate size, smooth and very rarely crenulated or serrated; some 
