MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 



247 



or tropical waters, never far from shore and rarely over any but sandy bottoms. 

 Most school or are found in small groups. Most of them have the spiny and soft 

 dorsal fins separated by a deep notch. The anal fin is usually much shorter than 

 the soft dorsal fin. The lateral line extends all the way to the end of the tail fin. 

 There is no one dominant ground color in the family, but very few species 

 have bright coloration. 



Many of the species reach a very large size and are very important 

 commercially (especially the various sea "trout"). Almost all species are able 

 to make a noise, variously described as drumming, croaking, snoring, or grunting, 

 bv using their complex swim bladders as resonating chambers. Strangely 

 enough, members of one genus, Menticirrhns, lacks the swim bladder completely. 

 All croakers are carnivorous. So far as is known, all lay pelagic, floating eggs, 

 which hatch in a \'cry short time. 



SILVER PERCH : Bairdella chrysiira 



Size: Up to 1 foot. Usually smaller. 



Distribution: New York to Texas. 



Identification: The color is a dull silver with .greenish above. The scales on 

 the back and sides each have a dark spot. 



Habits: This is a common shore fish often confused with the white perch. It 

 schools heavily and feeds on all manner of animals, mostly invertebrates. 

 During the colder months it migrates offshore. 



Fig. 237. Silver 'perch. 



SEA TROUTS: Genus Cynoscion 



There are several species of these very important and large fishes all of which 

 resemble each other strongly in habits. They will be considered as a group. The 

 sea trouts are mostly schooling, but are sometimes seen in small groups or even 

 alone. Thev feed inshore over sandy bottoms, especiallv in tidal inlets and bays, 

 on small fishes and crustaceans. Some get into brackish waters and even go far 

 up rivers. They are highly valued as food fishes, but their flesh is tender and 

 may spoil quickly. This has given some of them the name of "weakfish." These 

 fishes are among the most common fishes in their proper habitat. To swim near 

 a school of them is a thrilling experience. Thev are swift and graceful swimmers 

 and behave and look very much like trout. The common species are as follows: 



WEAKFISH (coMiNioN SEA TROUT, squeteague) : Cynoscion regalis 



Weight: Av^erages 3 to 6 pounds. Up to 30 pounds very rarely. 

 Distribution: Massachusetts to Florida and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. 



