136 



THE CORVINA OF THE ESSEQUIBO. 



Corvina grunniens. 



PLATE II. 



Arawaak, Durro-durro ; Carib, Spoca ; L. Geral, Piracuta. 

 ScJiomi. Drawings, No. 2. 



The fish represented on the opposite plate appears 

 to range in the genus to which we have referred it, 

 and resembles, in form and shape, the C. adusta of 

 Spix. The drawing wants the scaling which in that 

 species and in some others, represented on the plates 

 of Cuvier and Valenciennes, seem to cover the whole 

 cheeks and snout. Several species make a hoarse 

 noise and have received their provincial appellations 

 in consequence ; the C. ronchus of Valenciennes is 

 thus named ; at Maracaibo, it is called " el ronco" 

 and " el roncador ;" and at St. Domingo and Suri- 

 nam, other species have received synonimous appel- 

 lations. 



" The fish from which the drawing was taken 

 was killed at Comacca Island, in the Essequibo, in 

 September ; the flesh is good, but bony ; they are 

 taken by the hook and line, as well as shot with 

 the arrow, but are not very plentiful. They make 

 a curious grating noise under a canoe, when she 



