Surmullets, Croakers, etc. 355 



The otoliths of the river-drum are known to Wisconsin boys 

 as "lucky-stones," each having a rude impress of the letter L. 

 The names roncador, drum, thunder-pumper, croaker, and the 

 like refer to the grunting noise made by most Scicenida in the 

 water, a noise at least connected with the large and divided 

 air-bladder. 



Numerous silvery species belong to Larimus, Corvula, Odon- 

 toscion, and especially to Bairdiella, a genus in which the second 

 anal spine is unusually strong. The mademoiselle, Bairdiella 



FIG. 292. Mademoiselle, Bairdiella chrysura (Linnaeus). Virginia. 



chrysura is a pretty fish of our Atlantic coast, excellent as a 

 pan fish. In Bairdiella ensifera of Panama the second anal 

 spine is enormously large, much as in a robalo (Oxylabrax) . 



In Stellifer and Nebris, the head is soft and spongy. Stelli- 

 fer lanceolatus is occasionally taken off South Carolina, and 

 numerous other species of this and related genera are found 

 farther South. 



Sci&nops ocellata is the red-drum or channel bass of ours 

 South Atlantic coast, a most important food-fish reaching a 

 weight of seventy-five pounds. It is well marked by a black 

 ocellus on the base of the tail. On the coast of Texas, this 

 species, locally called redfish, exceeds in economic value all other 

 species found in that State. 



Pseudosci&na aquila, the maigre of southern Europe, is 



