Toxotes.—Body short, compressed, covered with scales of moderate size. Snout pointed, with a wide lateral mouth and projecting lower jaw. One dorsal, with five strong spines situated on the posterior part of the back; the soft portion and the anal fin scaly, the latter with three spines. Villiform teeth in the jaws, on the vomer and palatine bones. Scales of moderate size, cycloid.
Fig. 172.—Toxotes jaculator.
Two species are known from the East Indies, one (T. jaculator), which is the more common, ranging to the north coast of Australia. It has received its name from its habit of throwing a drop of water at an insect which it perceives close to the surface, in order to make it fall into it. The Malays, who call it “Ikan sumpit,” keep it in a bowl, in order to witness this singular habit, which it continues even in captivity.
Third Family—Mullidæ.
Body rather low and slightly compressed, covered with large thin scales, without or with an extremely fine serrature. Two long erectile barbels are suspended from the hyoid, and are received between the rami of the lower jaw and opercles. Lateral line continuous. Mouth in front of the snout, with the cleft lateral and rather short; teeth very feeble. Eye lateral, of moderate size. Two short dorsal fins remote from each other, the first with feeble spines; anal similar to the second dorsal. Ventrals with one spine and five rays. Pectorals short. Branchiostegals four; stomach siphonal.
The “Red Mullets” form a very natural family, which, on account of slight modifications of the dentition, has been divided into several sub-genera—Upeneoides, Upeneichthys, Mullus, Mulloides, and Upeneus. They are marine fishes, but many species enter brackish water to feed on the animalcules abounding in the flora of brack-water. About forty different species are known chiefly from tropical seas, the European species (M. barbatus, see p. 43, Fig. [7]), extending far northwards into the temperate zone. None attain to a large size, specimens of from two to three lbs. being not common, but all are highly esteemed as food.
The most celebrated is the European species (of which there is one only, M. surmuletus being probably the female). The ancient Romans called it Mullus, the Greeks τριγλη. The Romans priced it above any other fish; they sought for large specimens far and wide, and paid ruinous prices for them.
“Mullus tibi quatuor emptus
Librarum, cœnæ pompa caputque fuit,