OTOLITHUS REGALIS. 131 



Habits. The Otolithus regalis is found in the waters of South Carolina through- 

 out the year, but is most abundant and of the largest size in the autumnal months. 

 It lives always in salt water, never ascending fresh streams, and feeds on various 

 kinds of smaller fish, and is very voracious ; it is taken with the hook or with 

 the seine ; but, though abundant in our market, it is not held in much estimation 

 as food, its flesh being soft and without flavour. 



Geographical Distribution. The range of this fish along the coast of the 

 United States is very extended, as Dr. Storer has observed it as far north as Massa- 

 chusetts, and Lesueur as far south and west as New Orleans. 



General Remarks. Schoepff' gave the first description of this animal, and it 

 is a very good one ; he says it is called Weak-fish in New York, and Scup or 

 Scuppaug in Rhode Island ; yet he does not refer it to any of the genera estab- 

 lished at that period. 



Schneider, in his edition of Bloch, arranged it in the genus Jolmius, and with 

 the specific name regalis ; but his description is less full and satisfactory than that 

 of Schoepff, from which it is taken. 



Dr. Mitchill's account of our animal is next in order, and is very good ; but being 

 unacquainted with the works of Schoepff and Schneider, he considered it an un- 

 described species, and called it Labrus squeteague. 



Cuvier and Valenciennes have given the fullest and most accurate account of 

 this animal that has hitherto appeared. 



