SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 287 



Diagnosis. — Body rather elongate, depth contained about 3 times in length; length of 

 head somewhat greater than depth; maxillary extending as far as pupil; snout pointed, con- 

 tained 3 times in length of head; eye small, a little more than .2 length of head; gill-rakers short 

 and thick, about 8 on lower arm of first arch; scales large, about 50 in lateral series, 7-1-12 in 

 transverse series, 7 rows on cheek, 7 rows on opercle, and 3 rows on temporal region; dorsal 

 rays x,14, the fourth spine largest; anal rays iii,8; caudal slightly concave; pectorals short, 

 contained about 1.6 times in head; ventrals shorter than pectorals. Color: dark green above, 

 coppery red below, with dark lengthwise streaks corresponding with rows of scales; spinous 

 dorsal blackish with red edge; soft dorsal dusky, with white edge anteriorly; anal reddish, 

 with white margin: caudal reddish black; pectorals and ventrals pale, {griseiis, gray.) 



The gray snapper is abundant in Florida and the West Indies, often being 

 seen on sandy shores and on the edges of mangrove swamps; it also ascends 

 fresh-water streams. Stragglers, usually young, have been found in Chesa- 

 peake Bay, on the New Jersey coast, at Woods Hole, Mass., and at other points 

 on the Atlantic seaboard. Four small examples were seined at Bsaufort in the 

 summer of 1902. The species reaches a weight of 15 to 18 pounds, but averages 

 less than 5 pounds; and is a food fish of considerable value in Florida. 



252. LUTIANUS APODUS (Walbaum). 

 Schoolmaster. 



Perca apoda Walbaum, Artedi Genera Piscium, 351, 1792. 



Neomaenia apodus, Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 1258, pi. cxcvii, fig. 515. 



Diagnosis. — Body rather deep, the depth .4 length; length of head equal to depth; max- 

 illary extending to front of orbit; 4 canine teeth in front of upper jaw; snout very long and 

 pointed, more than .3 length of head; gill-rakers short and thick, about 9 on long arm of first 

 arch; scales rather large, 42 to 45 in lateral series, 6 + 13 in transverse series, 7 rows on cheeks 

 and 7 on opercles; dorsal rays x,14; anal rays in, 8; caudal slightly forked; pectorals .75 length 

 of head; ventrals .5 lengths of head. Color: dark greenish above, orange on sides and below, 

 with 8 or 9 narrow pale bluish vertical bars; head greenish above, bright orange on sides; all 

 fins orange, the dorsal with blue spots; young with a distinct blue stripe below eye. usually 

 lacking in adult, {apodus. without feet, the species having been based on a drawing in which 

 the pectoral fins were omitted.) 



This snapper, whose regular range is from Florida to Brazil, occasionally 

 strays to the northeast coast, young examples having been taken at Woods Hole, 

 Mass., by the writer. In the summer of 1902 one small specimen was seined in 

 Beaufort Harbor, and on September 25, 1905, another 2 inches long was taken 

 at the wharf on Fivers Island, Beaufort, these being the only North Carolina 

 records. The maximum weight of this species is 7 or 8 pounds and the average 

 2 or 3 pounds. 



253. LUTIANUS BLACKFORDI Goode & Bean. 

 "Red Snapper". 



Lutjanus blackfordi Goode & Bean, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, 1876, 176; Pensacola, Fla. 



t Bodianus aya Bloch, Ichthyologie, 227, 1790; Brazil. 



Neomcenis aya, Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 1264, pi. cxcvii, fig. 516. 



Di.\GNOSis. — Body rather deep, depth contained 2.6 times in length, back elevated; head 

 large, its length equal to body depth, superior profile straight from snout to nape; mouth large. 



