The Croakers 



on our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, under the vernacular names spot, 

 goody, lafayette, roach, chub, chopa blanca, and masooka. It is one 

 of the most common pan-fishes on our coast and is excellent in every 

 respect. It occurs as far north as Cape Cod and as far south as Texas, 

 but is very rare in the West Indies. 



The spot is a small fish, reaching only 6 to lo inches in length, and 

 consequently not likely to prove very exciting to the angler, albeit it 

 takes the hook readily and is well worth taking when larger fish 

 refuse to bite. 



Colour, bluish above, silvery below; about 15 narrow dark wavy 

 bands extending from the dorsal downward and forward to below 

 lateral line; a round black humeral spot rather smaller than the eye; 

 fins plain olivaceous, the caudal not yellow. 



GENUS MICROPOGON 

 CUl/IER &- J/ALENCIENNES 



The Croakers 



Body moderately elongate, compressed, somewhat elevated; pre- 

 opercle strongly serrate; teeth in villiform bands, the outer row in the 

 upper jaw somewhat enlarged; lower jaw with a row of minute bar- 

 bels on each side; gill-rakers short and thickish; spinous dorsal rather 

 short, of 10 or II stoutish spines; second anal spine moderate; caudal 

 fin double-truncate; lower pharyngeals narrow, distinct, with sharp 

 conical teeth; air-bladder with long horns. 



This is a well-marked genus with about 5 species, all American, 

 distinguished from Ophioscion and Scia^iops by the presence of bar- 

 bels. The species are all closely related, and are similar in form, colour, 

 and size. 



The only species of importance is the common croaker, Micropogon 

 nndiilatiis. Every one on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts knows the 

 croaker. It is an abundant and important food-fish all the way from 

 Cape Cod to Texas, being most common southward, but not known 

 from the West Indies. At Beaufort, N. C, it is, next to the mullet and 

 the spot, the most common food-fish; and in the markets of Baltimore, 

 Washington, and southward there is no more familiar fish. It appears 

 to be uncommon in Indian River, but is present in limited numbers 

 throughout the year. On the Gulf coast it is exceedingly abundant in 



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