Jordan and Evcrmann. — Fishes of North America. 1475 



Alhurnus americanus (the Whiting), Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carolinas, etc., pi. 12, f. 2, 1736, 

 Carolina. 



Cypnnus americanus, Linnjeus, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 321, 1758, Carolina; based on the Whiting 

 of Catesby ; not Cyprinus americaniu of the twelfth edition of the Syatema Naturse, 

 which is a Cyprinoid. 



rerca alhurnus, LiNfJ^OS, Syst. Nat., Ed. xil, 482, 1876, Charleston. (Coll. Dr. Garden.) 



Vmhnna phalcena, Girakd, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1858, 167, Indianola, Brazos San- 

 tiago; GiEARD, XT. S. and Mex. Bound. Survey, 13, 1859. 



Centropomus alhurnus, Lac£pkde, Hist. Nat., Poias., iv, 249, 257, 264, 1802. 



Vmhrina alhurnus, CuviER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 180, 1830; GCnther, Cat., 

 II, 275, 1860. 



Menticirrhus alhurnus, Joedan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 577, 1883. 



Menticirrhus americanus, Jordan &. Eigenmann, I. c, 430, 1889. 



1860. MEXTICIRRHI'S SAXATILIS (Bloch & Schneider). 



(KiNGFISH; SEA MiNK ; NORTHERN WHITING.) 



Head 3| to 4 ; depth 4* to 4| ; eye 7 in head ; snout 3f . D. X-I, 26 or 27 ; A. I, 

 8 ; scales 7-53, 14 pores. Outer teeth of upper jaw less enlarged ; spinous dor- 

 sal elevated, the longest spine reaching past I'rout of soft dorsal, its length 

 1^ in head; coloration strongly marked, body scarcely silvery. Profile 

 slightly depressed above the eyes; eye small, 2i in snout, 2 in interorbi- 

 tal area; snout long, bluntish; mouth large; maxillary reaching middle 

 of eye, 2* in head; ventrals 1^ in pectorals, which are 1| in head; scales 

 all ctenoid. Color dusky gray above, somt^tinies blackish, the back and 

 sides with distinct dark oblique cross bands running downward and for- 

 ward, th(^ anterior one at the nape extending downward, meeting the 

 second and thus forming a V-shaped blotch on each side; a dark lateral 

 streak bounding the pale color of the belly, most distinct posteriorly, and 

 extending on lower lobe of caudal; inside of gill cavity scarcely dusky; 

 pectoralsdark. Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, Cape Ann 

 to Key West and Pensacola ; most common northward on sandy bottoms. 

 An excellent food fish. This species is generally common along the coasts 

 of our Northern States, its greatest abundance being north of the limit 

 of iljr. aviericantis, a species which it very closely resembles, the differences 

 being of minor importance. Southward its distribution seems to be pecu- 

 liar. A large specimen was obtained by Dr. Jordan at Pensacola and 

 several small ones at Key West. All these are very dark in color, but 

 not otherwise evidently different from the common northern form, (^sax- 

 attUs, pertaining to rocks.) 



Johnius saxatilis," Bloch & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 75, 1801, New York. 

 JfeniiCTrrAMSsaojaiiiM, Jordan, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1883,288 (note on type of Bloch 



& Schneider.) 

 Umhrina nehulosa, GiJNTHER, Cat., ii, 275, 1860. 

 Menticirrhus nehitlosus, Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 577, 1883. 

 Menticirrhus saxatilis,J0B.DA.fl & Eigenmann, «. c, 431, 1889. 



* The original type of Johnius saxatilis, sent by Schiipf to Bloch, is still in the museum 

 at Berlin, where it has been examined by us. The name saxatihs lor the ^V hitnig, like 

 that of regalis for the Weakfish, came about through a confusion ot the vernacular 

 names, the supposed 'Kingfish" being named ''Johnius regalis by Bloch, and the .sup- 

 posed "Kocktish," ''Johnius saxatilis. ' 



