EXERCISE XII. 
THE SEA MULLET (Agonostoma fosteri). 
Sub-kingdom—VERTEBRATA. Class—PIscEs, Sub-class—TELEOSTEIL. 
Order—ACANTHOPTERI. 
1. 7 ere characters.*—The body is oblong and 
covered with scales, the posterior margins of which 
are toothed, ctenoid. The scales are all similar, there 
being no lateral line. Notice the operculwm, with 
the pre-operculum in front of it and the sub-oper- 
culum, and inter-operculum below. In front of the 
eye is the pra-orbital, which is strongly serrated pos- 
teriorly. The mouth has teeth on the intermaxillaries 
on the palatine bones, and on the vomer. The fins 
are eight in number. Two pectorals, two ventrals, 
two dorsals, the anal, and the caudal. The /irst 
dorsal fin is supported by four bony rays—spinous 
rays ; the second has one spinous ray, and ten rays that 
are softer, divided by transverse markings, and more 
or less branched at the top. These are called soft 
rays, or articulated rays. The anal fin has three 
spines and twelve soft rays. The ventrals have one 
spine and five soft rays; and the pectorals have 
fourteen soft rays each. For the sake of brevity 
* The student is supposed to have compared the skeleton of a fish 
with the description in Nicholson’s Manual of Zoology, or some other book 
on the subject, 
