SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 



115 



Diagnosis. — Body elongate, compressed, dorsal outline but little elevated, the depth 

 rather more than .25 total length; head .25 total length; mouth large, oblique, the maxillary 

 extending far beyond eye; eye moderate, .16 length of head, .66 length of snout; bands of small 

 teeth on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; scales very large, some nearly 3 inches in diameter, 

 covered with a silvery epidermis, about 45 in lateral series and 12 in transverse series; dorsal 

 rays 12, the last ray longer than head; anal rays 20 to 23; caual fin deeply forked. Color: 

 bright silvery, darker above, (atlanticus, pertaining to Atlantic Ocean.) 



This, the largest of the clupeoid fishes, ranges from Massachusetts to Brazil, 

 and is most abundant in Florida and the West Indies. It reaches a length of 7 

 feet and a weight of over 200 pounds. It is a powerful and active fish, and has 

 the habit of leaping entirely out of the water. It feeds on small fish, and some- 

 times ascends fresh-water rivers, probably in pursuit of its prey. Its food value 

 is slight, as the flesh is very coarse, but the fish is much sought by anglers, being 

 caught with rod and line by trolling and affording most exciting sport. The 

 immense scales are objects of curiosity; they are sold as souvenirs in Florida and 

 also are used in ornamental work. 



Fig. 36. TARPO>f. Tarpon atlanticus. 



The tarpon visits the North Carolina coast each season, and enters all the 

 sounds of the state as far north as Croatan Sound, in which stragglers are occa- 

 sionally observed. Yarrow reported it as very rare at Beaufort, and did not 

 observe it; in recent years a few specimens have been taken in that vicinity. At 

 Cape Lookout this species is not uncommon in May, and large schools are some- 

 times noticed there, but the fish is seldom caught, as it is too strong for the nets; 

 the Cape Lookout fishermen call it "kingfish", "tarpon", and "silver-fish". 

 In July, 1906, Dr. E. W. Gudger observed a 5-foot specimen at Hatteras. The 

 State Museum contains a specimen from Beaufort weighing 119 pounds and 

 another from Wilmington of 176 pounds. 



Genus ELOPS Linnaeus. Big-eyed Herrings. 



Large sea fishes, with body elongate and rounded; head conical, jaws long; 

 branchiostegals 30; pseudobranchise large; dorsal fin resting in a scaly sheath, 

 the last ray short; anal fin also in a sheath of scales; pectoral and ventral fins with 

 long scale in axil. One American species. {Flops, ancient Greek name for some 

 marine fish.) 



