The Grouper Family 295 



covered with orange-brown spots of various sizes 

 with dark centres ; the iris of eye is orange, as is 

 the inside of the mouth ; the dorsal fin is olive- 

 brown, with whitish blotches and a few dark 

 spots ; the pectoral fin is yellow, and all other fins 

 have black edges. Its habits are similar to those 

 of the other groupers. It grows to three feet in 

 length, and frequents rocky situations. 



THE ROCK HIND 



{^Epinephelus adscensionis) 



This grouper is one of the most bizarre and 

 gayly colored in the family SerranidcB. It was 

 first accurately described by Osbeck, in 1757, 

 from Ascension Island, which accounts for its 

 specific name, adscensio7iis, as bestowed by him. 



It is very widely distributed over both hemi- 

 spheres, being known from Ascension and St. 

 Helena Islands, Cape of Good Hope, and is 

 abundant from the Florida Keys to Brazil. In 

 outline it resembles the other groupers, having 

 a robust body, but little compressed ; its depth is 

 a third of its length, its head is as long as the 

 depth of the body, is pointed, with a profile 

 straight from the snout to the nape, thence curved 

 regularly to the tail. The mouth is large, with 



