422 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



abundant, it is valuable for food, and in many places is considered superior to 

 Sheepshead ; this is especially so in the St. John's River. 



The eggs are described as pale blue in color and as large as mustard seed. 

 Spawning takes place in the Gulf of Mexico in winter or spring. The colors of the 

 fish are very beautiful, the sides being ornamented with golden stripes on a pearly 

 white ground and having numerous dark vertical bands. 



120. Sheepshead (Arcliosargns probatoccpkalus Walbaum). 



Sparus ovis MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y., I, 392, pi. 2, fig. 5, 1815, New 



York. 



Sargus ovis DEK.AY, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 89, pi. 8, fig. 23, 1842. 

 Archosargus probatocephalus BEAN, Bull. U. S. F. C., VII, 142, pi. Ill, fig. 10, 1888, 



Somers Point, N. J., young; ipth Kept. Comm. Fish. N. Y., 262, pi. XV, fig. 19, 



1890; Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., IX, 366, 1897; H. M. SMITH, Bull. U. S. F. C. 



1897, 101, 1898; JORDAN & EVERMANN, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1361, 1898, pi. 



CCXVI, fig. 554, 1900. 



SHEEPSHEAD. 



Grayish, with about eight vertical black bands, which are about as broad as the 

 interspaces; dorsal dusky ; ventral and anal black ; base of pectoral dusky ; the dark 

 bands are most distinct in the young. 



The Sheepshead ranges along the coast from Cape Cod to Texas ; it is very rare 

 as far north as Woods Hole, Mass., but in southern waters it is still abundant. The 

 species reaches a length of 30 inches and the weight of 20 pounds; it is one of the 

 most valuable of our food fishes and is highly prized for its game qualities. 



