222 



FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



Diagnosis. — Depth contained 3.8 times in total length, the dorsal and ventral outlines 

 equally curved; head contained 3.4 times in length; maxillary extending under anterior part 

 of eye; eye contained 3.2 times in head, snout 4 times; scales in lateral series 65; dorsal rays 

 IX or x + i,25 to 27; anal rays iii,25 to 27; ventrals extending to front of anal, a little 

 shorter than head; pectorals extending beyond front of anal. Color: light brown above, silver;'' 

 below, sides with large brown s^Dots; caudal with brown spots; anal with 3 brown spots; ventrals 

 black with silvery margin; pectorals brown above, white below. (Named for the celebrated 

 Dutch ichthyologist, Gronovius, contemporary witli Linn£eus.) 





Fig. 94. PoRTUGUESE-MAN-OF-WAK-FiSH. Noineus gronovii. 



This native of tropical waters (West and East Indian) is abundant in the 

 Sargasso Sea and not uncommon in southern Florida; at more northern points on 

 the United States coast it occurs as a straggler. Dr. Jenkins took an example 

 half an inch long in a tow net at Beaufort in the summer of 1885, and states that 

 in fall the fish is common, "then found only in a medusa, the medusa never being 

 found without a Nomeus". Prof. Wilson also records the fish as occurring at 

 Beaufort in the bell-cavity of the medusa Stomolophus. The present author 

 has noted the occurrence at Woods Hole, Mass., of as many as 12 of these fish 

 under a single specimen of the medusa known as the "Portuguese man-of-war" 

 (Physalia). The usual length attained is 5 or 6 inches. 



Genus PSENES Cuvier and Valenciennes. 

 Body rather deep and compressed; mouth small, overhung by the swollen 

 snout; jaw teeth in a single series; no teeth on tongue and vomer in young; 

 scales of small or moderate size, covering body; first dorsal with 10 or 11 spines; 

 second dorsal and anal long and similar; anal spines 3, not separate from soft 

 part. There are 5 or 6 American species, some found in very deep water and 

 some at the surface; 1 known from North Carolina coast. (Psenes, osprey or 

 fish-hawk, a name of no obvious application.) 



191. PSENES REGULUS Poey. 

 Psenes regulus Poey, Synopsis piscium cubensium, 375, 1868; Cuba. Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 951. 



Diagnosis. — Body oval, much compressed, depth .4 length; head about equal to depth; 

 eye large, more than .3 head; teeth on jaws in one row, short, slender; dorsal rays x,16 to x,18; 



