24 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES, 



51. Hsemulon flavolineatum ^Desmarest). French grunt; Ronco con- 



denado. 



This little grunt is not very common at Key West and is only 

 occasionally seen in the fish wells. Maximum weight, 1 pound; 

 average, one-third pound. 



Range. — Bermuda, Florida Keys, Tortugas, south to Brazil; 

 recorded from Panama. 



52. Bathystoma rimator (Jordan and Swain). Tom-tate; Red- mouth 



grunt. 



The young (4 to 6 inches long) are abundant about Key West, 

 but fish of marketable size are uncommon and for this reason the 

 annual catch is comparatively small. They are seen occasionally 

 in the live cars and are sold along with other grunts and small 

 snappei-s. Spawning takes place in May and June. Maximum 

 weight, about 1 pound ; average, one-third pound. 



Range. — Cape Hatteras and Pensacola, southward through the 

 West Indies to Trinidad; recorded from Panama and Bermuda. 



53. Anisotremus surinameiisis (Bloch). Black margate-fish. 



This is a comparatively rare species about the Florida keys and 

 is seen only occasionally in the live cars about the wharves. Prob- 

 ably not more than 1,000 pounds are brought to Key West annually. 

 Maximum weight, about 20 pounds; average, 2 pounds. 



Range. — Florida and Mobile to Brazil; known from Surinam, 

 Martinique, Porto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba, and Panama. 



54. Anisotremus virginicus (Linnaeus). Porkfish. 



This brightly marked species is common about Key West and is 

 one of the important small food fishes. From June to August, when 

 it schools to spawn, it is found about the shoals but soon retires to 

 deep water. About a month after the spawning season large num- 

 bers of young may be seen about the shoals. Wlien fishing in com- 

 paratively deep water (30 to 40 feet), it is not unusual to catch 

 fish of a pound or a little more in weight. However, fish of one-half 

 a pound or less comprise the bulk of ^he annual catch. It is a good 

 food fish. Maximum weight, 2 pounds ; average, one-third pound. 



Range. — Florida to Brazil; known from Biscayne Bay, Santo 

 Domingo, Jamaica, Porto Rico, Martinique, Panama, and St. Cathe- 

 rines Island, Brazil. 



55. Orthopristes chrysopterus (Linnaeus). Pigfish ; Hogfish, 



This species is fairly common about Key West and is taken with 

 hook and line on shallow reefs along with other grunts and snappers. 

 It is an important species in lower Chesapeake Bay and along the 

 South Atlantic coast, where it is considered an excellent food fish. 

 Maximum weight, 2 pounds; average, one-half pound. 



Range. — ^New Jersey to Mexico ; recorded from Bermuda. 



(Note. — Tlie author is indebtrd to Dr. II. b! Bigelow for furnishing extensions to the 

 northei'n range of certain sipecies ineluded in this list. Tiiese new ranges are included in 

 " Fishes of the Gulf of Maine," by U. B. Bigelow and W. W. Welsh, now in press.) 



