OTOLITHUS CAROLINENSIS. 133 



OTOLITHUS CAROLINENSIS. — Valenciennes. 



Plate XIX. Fig. 2. 



Specific Characters. Body above palest blue, with silvery reflections; sides 

 silvery ; belly white ; caudal and dorsal fins, and sides above the lateral line, with 

 numerous round dark spots. D. 10-1-26. P. 15. V. 1-5. A. 1-11. C. 17. 



Synonymes. Otolithus Carolinensis, Cuv. et Vol., Hist. Nat. Poiss., torn. ix. p. 475. 

 Otolithus Carolinensis, DeKay, Zooi. N. Y., part iv. p. 72. 

 Otolithus Carolinensis, Storer, Synops., p. 66. 

 Salmon Trout, Vulgo. 



Description. This beautiful animal is at once distinguished from all others of 

 its genus by its colour, and the numerous dark spots with which it is ornamented. 

 These spots are found mostly above the lateral line, some few only are below it ; 

 black spots exist also in both dorsal fins and in the caudal, but they are not so 

 round and circumscribed as those on the body. Besides its colour, this Otolithus 

 diff"ers from the Otolithus regalis in having its head slightly less elevated, and its 

 dorsal outline a little more arched ; its snout, too, is narrower, though round, and 

 its lower jaw is rather more prolonged; its caudal fin is slightly longest in its 

 median plane, and is sub-crescentic both above and below it ; and its ventral fins 

 extend nearly half their length behind the pectorals. 



Habits. This fish is of the same size with the Otolithus regalis, with which it is 

 always found, and is similar in its habits and is taken with the same bait. 



Geographical Distribution. This animal is found along our Atlantic coast, 

 from Carolma to the Capes of the Delaware ; but I am ignorant of its extreme 

 limits, north or south. 



