54 



Hcemulon clirysopteron, Cuv. «fe Val , Hist. Nat. Poiss. v, 1830, 240 — DeKay, New York 

 Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 85, pi. vii, f. 22.— Storer, Syn. Fish. N. Am. 184G, 75.— 

 HOLLROOK, Ichth. South Carolina, 1855, 120, pi. xvii, f. 1.— Gunthek, Cat. 

 Fish. Brit. Mus. i, 1861, 313.— Gill, in Baird's Kep. Sea Fisheries of S. New 

 England, 1873, 806. 



The Margate-fish of the fishermen is probably this species. It is 

 conmiou in summer, but was not to be found in the markets at the time 

 of my visit. The species is recorded from the West Indies and Brazil. 

 The fishermen recognize several others, as theYellow, Streaked, Spotted, 

 and Black Grunts, all of which probably belong to this family, if not to 

 this genus. 



LUTJANUS CAXIS, [Schneider) Pocij. 



Gray Snapper. 



Caxis, Parra, Descr. Dif. Pie. Hist. Nat. Cuba, 1787, 14, lam. viii, f. 2. 



Spams Caxis, Schneider, Bloch, Syst. Ichth. 1801, 284. 



Lutjanus Caxis, Poey, Eep. Fis.-Nat. Cuba, i, 1867, 269; ii, 1868, 293.— Gill, in Baird's 



Report on Sea Fisheries of S. New England, 1873, 806. 

 Bodiamis Vivanet, Lac^-pJ:de, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iv, 1803, pi. iv, f. 3 (on a figure by 



Plumier). 

 Sparus tetracanthus, Bloch, Ichth. viii, 1797, 279, 930 (on a figure of Plumier). 

 Ciclila ietracavtha, Schneider, op. cit. 338. 

 ? Bodiamis striaius (Fasciatus), Schneider, op. cit. 335, tab. Ixv. 

 Lutjanus aciitirosiris, Desmarest, D6c. Ichth. i)l. ii, f. 1 (fide Cuvier). 

 Mcboprion griseus, Cuv. & Val., His. Nat. Poiss. ii, 1829, 471.— Storer, Syn. Fish. N. Am. 



1846, 34.— GiJNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. i, 1861, 195. ^ 



Very common ; distributed also throughout the Caribbean Sea and 

 the Gulf of Mexico, and, according to Glinther, who considers it 

 identical with Mesoprion goreensis Cuv. & Val., extending east to the 

 African coast. It breeds abundantly, and hundreds of individuals 

 from four feet to four inches in length may be seen in almost any sheltered 

 nook. It is one of the most delicious of food-fish, its flavor not unlike that 

 of the Blue-fish (Pomatomus saltatrix). Its 'extreme cunning renders it 

 very difficult to capture with either hook, pot, or grains, and has gained 

 it the soubriquet of " Sea Lawyer". The market-name is '' Gray Snapper". 



Color. — Dark gray, changing but slightly in spirits. 



The syuonomy of this and the allied forms is much ensnarled, and a 

 careful study of a full series of specimens is desirable. 



