98 



AMERICAN FISHES. 



in favor as a food-fish, although when very fresh it is entitled to a middle 

 rank. Large ones should be broiled with rich sauce, small ones treated as 

 pan-fish. The flesh is somewhat dry, and without distinctive flavor. 



I was greatly surprised to find this species exposed for sale in the markets 

 of Paris and Rouen in 1SS3, and meeting with a ready sale. A large 

 quantity had been sent in ice from New York to France. 



The European analogue of our American Scup or Porgy is the Spants 

 auratus, the Braize or Becker, sometimes Bream, of the fishermen. This 

 fish frequents the European coast in summer, and is said to have 

 much the same habits as our American species. They are eaten only by 

 the poorer classes. 



'^^se^a^- 



Z*^ 



THE SAILOR'S CHOICE. 



The Sailor's Choice, Lagodoii rhomboides, is found in very great 

 abundance from Cape Hatteras south, and around the Gulf coast ; 

 also occasionally north of Cape Hatteras ; it is known in the lower part 

 of the Chesapeake Bay, and two or three stragglers have recently been 

 taken at Wood's Holl, Massachusetts. It is not uncommon in the Ber- 

 mudas. It may readily be recognized by the longitudinal stripes of 

 iridescent color upon the sides, and by the peculiar character of the teeth, 

 each having a prominent notch on either edge. 



The ''Sailor's Choice," as it is called in the St. John's River, at 



