FAMILY SCIAENIDAE 249 



the bottom of muddy waters, where it feeds especially on mollusks, 

 first crushing the shells with the powerful, paved, millstonelike pharyn- 

 geal jaws. When examined the stomach is often found to contain only 

 the soft bodies and opercula of gastropod mollusks, the crushed shells 

 evidently having been thrown out. Crayfishes are sometimes found in 

 the stomach. Although the sheepshead is seldom caught on hook and 

 line by sportsmen, it is caught in seines and sold in large numbers by 

 commercial fishermen, under the name of white perch. As a food fish it 

 ranks with suckers and carp. 



This species has become of added significance as an intermediary 

 host for several species of mussels, which pass through their meta- 

 morphosis on the gills of the sheepshead. Sometimes this fish carries 

 an almost incredible number of glochidia (Surber, 1913) . Unfortunately 

 the species it carries are of little commercial value. 



