FISHES OF NEW YORK 577 



nearly to below hind margin of orbit, its width posteriorly 

 nearly one third of its length; both jaws with stout recurved 

 teeth, behind which, in the upper jaw, are a few series of smaller 

 teeth; mandibulary teeth mostly in one series outside of which 

 are a few smaller teeth; preopercle strongly serrate or spinous 

 at its angle; gill rakers slender, moderately long, 8+16 

 on first arch; lower pharyngeals small, with sharp teeth. Spin- 

 ous dorsal high in front, triangular, the first spine very short, 

 the fourth longest, equal to postorbital part of head; base of 

 soft dorsal one third of total length without caudal, longest ray 

 equal to snout and eye combined, last ray two thirds as long 

 as the eye. Caudal concavo-convex, the middle rays equal to 

 longest dorsal spine. Anal base three eighths as long as the 

 head; longest anal ray equal to snout and eye combined; first 

 anal spine very short, second two fifths as long as the head. 

 Soft dorsal and anal fins considerably scaly. Pectoral and 

 ventral of equal length, one fifth of total without caudal, the 

 pectoral scarcely reaching to below end of spinous dorsal. D. 

 XI, I, 22; A. II, 9 or 10; scales 8-50 to 54-11. 



Greenish above, silvery below, each scale with series of dark 

 punctulations through the center, usually very conspicuous, 

 sometimes obscure, these forming narrow somewhat irregular 

 streaks along the sides; fins plain, the caudal yellowish. 



Dr Mitchill describes this fish as the silver perch, and De Kay 

 explains the origin of this name from the resemblance which the 

 yellowtail bears in its appearance and habits to the common 

 white perch. At Pensacola Fla. the name mademoiselle is 

 applied to the species. In Great South bay we heard the name 

 lafayette given it, but this belongs more properly to the spot 

 Liostomus xanthurus. 



The yellowtail occurs on our coast from Cape Cod to Florida. 

 It was a common fish in Great South bay in September 1890, 

 and during the early part of October, occurring at Blue Point 

 cove, at the Blue Point Lifesaving station, Great River beach 

 and Fire Island. It is frequently taken in the pounds. In 1898, 

 the young were found in abundance at Nichols's Point, Great 



