FISHES OF NEW YORK 587 



The species evidently breeds at Woods Hole Mass. Dr Smith 

 says that adults full of spawn are common there in June and un- 

 common after July 15. The young about an inch long appear in 

 the middle of July, and the young are numerous on sandy beaches 

 during the summer and till early October, when they leave, 

 having attained a length of 4 or 5 inches. Some of the young 

 are almost entirely black, while others of the same size taken at 

 the same time show the color markings of the adults. The maxi- 

 mum weight there is about 2 pounds. 



The species is a favorite in New York waters and well merits 

 Its reputation as a choice food fish. It takes the baited hook 

 very readily. Hard clam, cut small, shedder crab, black mussels 

 and various kinds of fish are good baits. It goes in schools and 

 associates with the weakfish. 



The name kingfish is said to have been given it in honor of 

 the king by colonial New Yorkers, who esteemed the fish highly. 



Genus POGONIAS Lacepede 



Body short and deep, the dorsal outline much elevated, the 

 ventral nearly straight. Mouth moderate, the upper jaw long- 

 est; teeth small, in villiform bands, the outer not enlarged; lower 

 pharyngeal bones large, fully united, armed with strong paved 

 teeth; lower jaw with numerous barbels, each about one half as 

 long as the eye; preoperculum entire, with a membranaceous 

 edge. Dorsal fins slightly connected, the spines high and strong; 

 caudal fin subtruncate; first anal spine short, the second exceed- 

 ingly large, nearly as long as the soft rays; pectorals and ventrals 

 long; gill rakers short and bluntish. Pseudobranchiae large. 

 Marine species, reaching a very large size, among the largest of 

 the Sciaenidae, two species known. 



286 Pogonias cromis (Linnaeus) 

 D rum 



Lair us cromis LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat. ed. XII, 479, 1766, Carolina. 

 Pogonias fasciatus LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss. III. 137, 1802; CUVIER & 



VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss. V, 210. pi. 118. 1830; DE KAY, N. Y. 



Fauna, Fishes, 81, pi. 14, fig. 40, 1842; GUNTIIER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. 



II. 270, 1860. 



Mugil grunniens MITCHILL, Rep. Fish. N. Y. 16, 1814, New York. 

 Mugil gigas MITCHILL, Rep. Fish. N. Y. 16, 1814, New York. 



