NATURAL HISTORY. 259 



females. It is only necessary to revert to the different geographical 

 areas in which the various species are found to be at once convinced 

 of the absurdity of this opinion. 



TRIGLIDAE, (Cuv.) DeKay. 



12. Prionotus lineatus, (Mit ) DeKay. 

 DeKay, N. Y. Fauna, p. 45, fig. 12. 



The ^^ Robin," ''Sea Robin," and flying fish, as this species is 

 indifferently called by our fishermen, is occasionally brought to the 

 markets in the mouth of May. It does not appear to be much 

 esteemed, and is eaten from necessity rather than irom choice. They 

 generally sell for about twelve cents a dozen. The average size is 

 about twelve inchejs long. 



13. Sebastes novregicus, {3IuUer) Cuv. and Vol. 

 DeKay, N. Y. Fauna, p. 60, fig. 11. 

 I observed a few specimens of this trigloid in the third week of 

 February of this year. The man in whose possession they were 

 called them '' Red Snap[)ers," the same name which they apply to the 

 Serranus morio, DeKay, and furthermore told me that they were 

 eent from Charlesfonf They agreed with the description and figure 

 gives of the Sebast-es norvegicus by DeKay, who also gives " snap- 

 per," as one of the popular names by which they are known. May 

 not this be the species to which the " intelligent fisherman" alluded, 

 who informed Dr. DeKay that the Serranus erythrogaster, DeKay, 

 "^^ is occasionally, but very rarely, taken off our coast?" The fish- 

 monger, on whose stand the species in question was exposed, is the 

 only one in whose possession I have seen the Serranus erythroga-ster. 



SCI^ENID.E, Cuv. 



14. Leiostomus obliquus, (Mit.) DeKay. 



DeKay, N Y. Fauna, p. 69, fig. 195. 



The '' Lafayette" appears to be rather late in their arrival on the 

 coast of this State. Last year I saw none in market until the first of 

 September. After that they were brought in greater or less numbers 

 until nearly the end of October. Most of those that I saw were 

 under sis inches in length. I asked the fishermen if they did not 

 usually visit us earlier ; they replied that they were nearly as early 

 this year as usual. 



15. Otolithds regalis, {Schneider?) Cuv. and Vol. 

 DeKat, N. Y. Fauna, p. 71,' fig. 24. 



The weak fish is brought to the markets in quite large quantities 

 from the first of May to the middle or end of October, It appears to 

 be rather more abundant in July and August. 



Dr. DeKay gives an average length of only "six or eight inches" 



