132 OTOLITHUS THALASSINUS. 



OTOLITHUS THALASSINUS. — Holbrook. 



Plate XVIII. Fig. 2. 



Specific Characters. Body elongated, slender, dusky, with a greenish tint 

 ahove ; sides and belly yellow. D. 10 - 1 - 26. P. 17. V. 1 - 5. A. 1 - 10. C. 17. 



Synonyme. Sea Trout, or Deep-water Trout, Vulgo. 



Remarks. Although this animal resembles greatly the one last described, yet 

 it differs from it in the following particulars. It is much longer and less elevated 

 in proportion ; it is always of a yellow colour at the sides and belly ; it has one 

 dorsal spine more, and three soft rays less ; the anal fin has three rays less ; the 

 fleshy appendix to the opercle is rounded ; the snout is more pointed ; the liver is 

 smaller, and of a paler colour ; the gall-bladder is cylindrical, with numerous con- 

 volutions, and in the specimen examined did not extend beyond the right lobe of 

 the liver. In the character and disposition of its teeth, in its splanchnology, 

 in its intestines, air-bladder, &c., it agrees perfectly with the Otolithus regalis. 



Habits. The Otolithus thalasshms differs from the last-described animal en- 

 tirely in its habits, as it is only found in the ocean and in deep water, and never ap- 

 proaches the bays and inlets along the coast. It is also a larger animal. 



Geographical Distribution. The few specimens that I have seen were all 

 taken off Charleston bar, at about twenty miles from land, and in fifteen or twenty 

 fathoms of water. 



