FAMILY SCIENID.E CORVINA. 75 



THE BRANDED CORVINA. 



CORVINA OCELLATA. 



PLATE XXI. FIG. 61. — (CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 



Perca ocellala. Lin. Syst. Nat. 



P. id., Bass in Carolina. ScH(EPFF, Vol. 8, p. 166. 



Centropome ozillet. Lac. Vol. 4, p. 254. 



Jjitfjanus triangulum. Id. Vol. 4, p. 181. 



Beardless Drum, Sciena imberbis. Mitch. Lit. and Phil. Tr. N. Y. Vol. 1, p. 41 1. 



Le Johnnius crille ou brule, C. ocellala. Cuv. et Val. Hist. Poiss. Vol. 5, p. 134. pi. 180. 



Characteristics. Cylindrical. One, two or more rounded blackish spots on the base of the 

 tail. Length one to three feet. 



Description. Body more cylindrical than in the other species ; back less elevated. Snout 

 obtuse and prominent. Scales oblique, and covering the head. Lateral line concurrent with 

 the back, and continued to the end of the tail. A band of even teeth in both jaws ; the 

 anterior row in the upper jaw conic, distant. Five pores beneath the lower jaw. Preopercle 

 distinctly denticulated ; the opercle ending in two points. 



The spinous portion of the dorsal fin in a groove ; the first ray very small, and closely 

 applied to the second, which is shorter than the third : this latter is longest. Soft portion 

 three times the length of the first, with subequal rays. Anal fin with two spinous rays : the 

 first very short ; the second one-third less than the succeeding soft ray. Caudal fin nearly 

 even, slightly excavated. 



Color. Bluish above ; lighter beneath. Head, cheeks and shoulders golden, with metallic 

 reflections. Dorsal fin dusky green. Pectorals, ventrals and anal fin tinged with red. On 

 each side of the tail, at the base of the caudal rays, is a blackish brown spot, often bordered 

 with white. Occasionally two on one side, becoming confluent on the other. According to 

 Dr. Mitchill, it resembles the mark left by a heated iron, which has given rise to the name 

 of Branded Drum. 



Length, 12-0-42-0 Depth, 5-0-8-0. 



Fin rays, D. 10.1.26; P. 17; V. 1.5; A. 2.8; C. 17. 



This beautiful fish, which appears but occasionally on our coast, is more common at the 

 south. Lesueur states that it is common at New-Orleans, where it is seen from eight inches 

 to three feet long ; it is called there Poisson rouge or Red-fish. At Charleston, it is called 

 Bass, Sea Bass and Red Bass. It is a highly esteemed fish. 



