144 GENUS MICROPOGON. 



Geographical Distribution. Hitherto I have only seen this fish in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood of Charleston. 



General Remarks. This fish is very commonly supposed to be the adult 

 female of the Umbrina alhurnus, or common ITliitinff, approaching shoal water to 

 deposit its spawn, and from common report I believed it to be such, until frequent 

 dissections proved to me that there are both males and females among them. The 

 flesh of this species is good, but by no means as finely fiavoured as that of the 

 Umbrina alhurnus. 



GENUS MICROPOGON.— Cwmer. 



Characters. General form of an Umbrina; several minute barbels at the 

 chin ; pre-opercle dentated, with teeth smaller above, and long, separated, pointed 

 teeth, almost spinous, at the angle ; membrane at the snout above the upper jaw 

 with four lobes ; mouth inferior ; jaws armed with small, equal, villiform teeth ; 

 five pores at the chin ; branchial rays seven. 



General Remarks. This is another genus established by Cuvier, and is closely 

 allied on one side with Pogonias, and on the other with Corvina ; it may, however, 

 be readily distinguished from the former by the exceeding minuteness of its 

 barbels, and from the latter by their actual presence, however minute. This genus 

 includes at present but three well-determined species, which are limited to the 

 Atlantic coast of America, and of these only one has been observed in the Avaters 

 of South Carolina, though it doubtless ranges along the coast of Georgia and 

 North Carolina, south of Cape Fear. 



