444 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



abruptly. The depth of the body is contained two and one third 

 times in its length; the length of the head is contained four 

 times in that of the body. Dorsal and anal falcate, their lobes 

 reaching when depressed nearly to the middle of the fin; pec- 

 toral reaching to opposite the vent. Gill rakers short; slender 

 in the j'oung, becoming thick in the adult. Length 18 inches^ 

 D.VI-I, 25; A. 11-1,23. 



Uniform bluish above, sides silvery, golden in the adult, with- 

 out bands, fins plain silvery or dusky. 



This fish has no other name on our east coast except the 

 southern variation of pompeynose. In Great South bay the 

 name butterfish is applied to it because it is confounded with 

 the Poronotus triacanthus, to which the name 

 properly belongs. Mitchill described it under the name thorn- 

 backed grunt, a name not now in use. The pompano ranges on 

 our coast from Cape Cod to Florida, the adults rarely or never 

 coming into northern waters, but the young are taken in. 

 variable numbers every year. At Woods Hole they sometimes 

 occur in considerable numbers, and they have been taken in great 

 abundance in Great Egg Harbor bay, but not recently. In 

 Great South bay. in 1890, only a single young individual was 

 secured at Oak Island beach on the last day of September. It 

 occurs occasionally also on the Pacific coast. Dr De Kay, in 

 1842, mentioned it as an exceedingly rare species on the New 

 York coast. His description was based on a specimen taken off 

 Sandy Hook more than 20 years before. In 1898 young speci- 

 mens were found in moderate numbers at Oak Island beach^ 

 Great South bay, September 14, and on the east side -of Fire 

 Island beach September 16. The young are summer and fall 

 visitors in Gravesend bay. 22 individuals were placed in a tank 

 in August 1897, and grew rapidly till the temperature of the 

 water fell below 60° F in November. During this month all of 

 them died. 



The species reaches the length of 20 inches. It is one of the 

 finest of our food fishes. 



