Lagodon 



rock bottom, upon which it is said to spawn in July and August. 

 About Porto Rico it is one of the most common species, and is found 

 at all times. Because of its large size the bajonado is more important 

 as a food-fish than any of its congeners, though its flesh is rather 

 coarse. It is taken in the hook-and-line fishery and also in various 

 fish-traps. 



Colour in life, rather dull brassy, with little blue markings; the 

 middle of each scale shining but scarcely bluish; a blue stripe below 

 eye, narrower and duller than in other species; a second duller streak 

 above this, the 2 meeting on the forehead; preorbital dull coppery, 

 often with irregular and obscure blue lines; axil yellowish. 



The white-boned porgy (Calamus leucostcus] is a rather deep-water 

 species known only from off the Carolina coast. Colour, smutty 

 silvery; side with vague cross-bars; dorsal and ana) with dark blotches; 

 ventrals dusky. In form this species resembles C. penva. 



The little-mouth porgy or sheepshead porgy (C. penna) occurs 

 from southern Florida to Brazil. It is fairly abundant and widely 

 distributed. 



The grass or shad porgy (C. arctifrons] is a small species, rather 

 common in shallow water among grass-patches at Key West and as 

 far north as Pensacola. Colour, olivaceous, with dark bars or spots, 

 the centres of many scales pearly; 6 yellowish spots along the lateral 

 line; preorbital brownish, usually with dashes of golden yellow; mem- 

 brane of opercle orange; fins mostly barred or spotted; ventrals pale, 

 faintly barred. Though one of the smallest species of the genus, rarely 

 exceeding a foot in length, it is nevertheless a good and important 

 food-fish wherever found in sufficient numbers. It will take the hook, 

 but it is usually taken in haul-seines. 



GENUS LAGODON HOLBROOK 



This differs from related genera chiefly in the form of the skull 

 and the notched incisors; otherwise essentially as in Archosargus. 



The single species is Lagodon rhomboides, the sailor's-choice, 

 chopa spina, pigfish, or bream, a small species reaching a length of 6 

 inches, very abundant on our east coast from Cape Cod to Cuba and 

 Texas. Though small, it is a most excellent pan-fish, and is highly 

 prized wherever found. 



Colour in life, olivaceous, the sides bluish silvery; a humeral spot 

 and traces of 6 vertical bars; gilt stripes much less intense than in 



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