88. SPAKID^ DIPLODUS. 559 



preorbital broad. Moutli low, horizontal ; incisors broad, serrated in 

 the young", then becoming emarginate and finally entire. Cheeks with 

 6 rows of scales; scales on breast very small, crowded. Dorsal spines 

 very strong, higher than the soft rays, the last considerably shortened, 

 so that the outline of the fin is emarginate ; second anal spine very 

 strong, nearly as long as the snout and eye ; pectoral very long, reacli- 

 ing past the front of the anal ; ventrals reaching vent. Head 3J; depth 

 Vi. D. XII, 12; A. Ill, 10; scales 7-45-lG. L. 30 inches. Cape Cod 

 to Texas ; abundant ; the largest member of the genus, and one of our 

 most valued food-fishes. 



(Sparus prohatoceplmlus Walbaum, Artedi, Pise. 1792, 295: Sargus ovis Mitchill, 

 Trails. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y. i, 392, 1814: San/us ovh Cuv. & Val. vi, 53: Sarrjus oris 

 Holbrook, Ich. S. Car. 1860, 54; Giinther, i, 447: Archosurf/its prohatocephahts Gill, ami 

 of most late American writers.) 



hh. No procnmbeiit spine before the dorsal fin. (Diplodus.) 



881. D. hoSbroolti (Bean) J. & G.— Bream. 



Dull silvery, without cross-bands ; dorsal, caudal, anal, ventrals, 

 axil, and edge of opercle dusky; a black blotch on caudal peduncle 

 above. Body ovate, not elevated, compressed, the axis of the body 

 below the middle of its depth. Eight incisors in each jaw; three rows 

 of molars above, two below. Pectoral 3 in length ; second anal si)ine 

 longest. Head 34; depth 2^. D. XII, 14; A. Ill, 13; scales 8-Gl-lG. 

 L. 12 inches. Charleston, S. C. {Bean.) (Possibly tlie adult form of 

 the next.) 



(Sargus holhrooki Bean, Forest and Stream, June 13, 1878, and in Proc. U. S. Nat. 

 Mns. 1878, 198. ) 



88.5. D. catlKlaisisiciila. (Poey) J. «fe G. — Spot-tailed Pin-fish. 



Silvery, with bright reflections; about 8 very narrow dark A'ertical 

 bands; a very distinct black bar on back and sides of caudal peduncle; 

 shining stre.aks and dark punctulations along the rows of scales ; ven- 

 trals and anal mottled with dusky; edge of opercle dusky; axil dark. 

 Body ovate, compressed, very deep. Dorsal and ventral (mtlines both 

 strongly arched, the axis of the body at about the middle of the depth, 

 the back steeply elevated behind the nape. Maxillary not leaching 

 the'eye, which is 3 in head. Caudal peduncle short and slender, about 

 as deep as long. Cheeks with 3 rows of scales; niteropercle broad, 

 with 3 distinct rows of scales; scales on breast not much reduced. 

 Mouth very small, terminal. Incisors broad, entire. Si)ines moderate, 

 those of the dorsal higher than the soft rays; second anal s])ine longest; 

 pectorals long, reaching to anal; ventrals reaching to vent. Head 3^; 



