Cavallas and Pampanos 



277 



finest jf all food-fishes, ranking with the Spanish mackerel and 

 to be cooked in the same way, only by broiling. The flesh is 

 white, firm, and flaky, with a moderate amount of delicate oil. 

 It has no especial interest to the angler and it is not abundant 

 enough to be of great commercial importance, yet few fish 

 bring or deserve to bring higher prices in the markets of the 



FIG. 217. The Pampano, Trachinotus carolinus (Linnaeus). Wood's Hole. 



epicures. The species is most common along our Gulf coast, 

 ranging northward along the Carolinas as far as Cape Cod. 



Pampano in Spanish means the leaf of the grape, from the 

 broad body of the fish. The spelling "pompano" should there- 

 fore be discouraged. 



The other pampanos, of which there are several in tropical 

 America and Asia, are little esteemed, the flesh being dry and 

 relatively flavorless. Trachinotus palometa, the gafftopsail pam- 

 pano, has very high fins and its sides have four black bands 

 like the marks of a grill. The round pampano, Trachinotus 

 falcatus, is common southward, as is also the great pampano, 

 Trachinotus goodei, which reaches a length of three feet. Trach- 

 inotus ovatus, a large deep-bodied pampano, is common in 

 Polynesia and the East Indies. No pampanos are found in 

 Europe, but a related genus, Lichia, contains species which much 

 resemble them, but in which the body is more elongate and 

 the mouth larger. 



Numerous fossils are referred to the Carangidaz with more 



