532 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



273. POL.YPRION Cuvier. 

 Stone Bass. 



(Cuvier, Regne Anim. ii, 1817: type Polyprion cernium Val.) 



Body robust, moderately elevated, covered with small, firm scales, 

 which extend on the vertical fins. Mouth large, the lower jaw pro- 

 jecting. Teeth in villiform. bands on jaws, vomer, palatines, and 

 tongue. Preopercle serrate; orbital region with spinous projections; 

 a strong, rough, bony longitudinal ridge on the opercle. Dorsal fin 

 continuous, low, with 11 strong spines; caudal rounded; anal with 

 3 spines, the third the largest; ventrals large; pectorals short. 

 Spiues of anal and ventrals somewhat serrate on the anterior edge. 

 Vertebrae 13+ 13. Pyloric ececa about 70. Brauchiostegals 7. ( 

 many; -picu-^ saw.) 



835. P. oxygenous (Sclin.) J. & G. Stone Bass; Wreck-fish; Cernier. 



Grayish brown, the caudal edged with white; young clouded with 

 light and dark. Body robust, somewhat compressed; the back ele- 

 vated. Month rather large, the scaly maxillary extending to opposite 

 the posterior margin of the eye ; lower jaw the longer. Supraocular 

 region, scapula, suprascapula, preopercle, and a ridge on opercle spi- 

 nigerous. Anal spines short, serrate anteriorly, the third much the 

 longest. Head 3 ; depth 24, D. XI, 12; A. Ill, 8; L. C feet, A very 

 large fish of the coasts of Southern Europe and Africa ; a single young 

 specimen lately obtained in deep water by the United States Fish Com- 

 mission. It resembles Stcreolepls, but is much rougher. 



amcricanus Bloch & Schneider, 205, t. 47, 1801; erroneously ascribed to 

 Ann-rim (nomen im-jitum '. ): Epinephclus orygcneios Bloch & Schneider, 301 : Poli/prion 

 cernium Valenciennes, Mc*m. du Mus. xi, 265: Polyprion ccriihim Cuv. & Val. iii, 21, pi. 

 te: I'uliipnon cernium Guuther, i, 1(59: Polyprion cernium Pay, Brit. Fish. 17.) 



271. SERR ANUS Cuvier. 

 Sea Bass. 



(Cuvit-r &. Valenciennes, Hist. \nt. I'uiss. ii, 210, 182H : type I'<r<-a ncriba L.) 



Body oblong or modem! Hv elongate, covered with rather small, 

 ctenoid scales. Scales of the lateral line quadrilateral or subtriaugu- 

 l:u, ctenoid. Head oblong. Mouth wide, oblique. Maxillary with- 

 out supplemental hone. Outer series of teeth more or less enlarged 

 and canine-like, the Amines sometimes very small, sometimes large, 

 commonly numerous and developed along the sides of the lower jaw, 



