SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 



299 



porgy", a name of unknown application. The species is entitled to be listed in 

 the North Carolina fauna because of a specimen, 12 inches long, obtained by 

 Mr. H. H. Briraley at Wilmington in 1884 and now preserved in the State 

 Museum at Raleigh. This specimen was caught by a market fisherman off the 

 mouth of Cape Fear River, and the species may doubtless be looked for regu- 

 larly in that region. Like other membeis of the genus^ it is a good food fish. 

 Genus LAGODON Holbrook. Sailor's Choice. 

 This genus contains a single species, and is distinguished from related 

 genera chiefly by the form of the cranial bones; other characters are noted in the 

 key. {Lagodon, hare-tooth.) 



262. LAGODON RHOMBOIDES (Linnaeus). 



"Robin"; "Pin-fish"; "Thorny-back"; Bream; Sailor's Choice; Salt-water Bream 



(S. C); Fair Maid (Va.). 



Sparus rhomhoides Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, ed. xii, 470, 1766; Charleston. 



Lagodon rhomhoides. Yarrow, 1877, 210; Beaufort. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 378; Beaufort. Goode, 1884, 



393; Cape Hatteras, Beaufort. Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 1358, pi. ccxv, fig. 552. Linton, 1905, 380; 



Beaufort. 

 DipZodMsrAombozrfes, Jordan, 1886, 28; Beaufort. Jenkins, 1887, 90; Beaufort. Wilson, 1900, 355; Beaufort. 



-.^x?- 



Fig. 134. Sailor's Choice; Robin. Lagodon rhomhoides. 



Diagnosis. — Form elliptical, the depth about .4 length; head rather pointed, profile not 

 steep, contained 3.25 times in total length; mouth small, maxillary not extending beyond 

 anterior margin of eye; 4 deeply notched incisors and 2 rows of molars in each jaw; eye less 

 than snout, .25 length of head, equal to interorbital space; gill-rakers IS to 20; scales in lateral 

 series 65 to 70, in transverse series 28; dorsal rays xii,ll, the first spine short and directed 

 forward, the longest spine about half length of head; anal rays iti, 11, the second sj^ine largest; 

 pectorals extending about to anal origin; caudal fin moderately forked. Life colors: dark 

 green above, silvery below; a round dark spot on shoulder about size of eye; 4 to 6 dark cross 

 bars about width- of eye; numerous golden longitudinal stripes; dorsal spines purplish or bluish 

 silvery, the membrane pale yellow, free edge of fin bright yellow; anal fin yellow, with a broad 

 light-blue margin; caudal and pectorals pale yellow; ventrals bluish white, with 2 middle mem- 

 branes pale yellow, {rhomhoides, rhomb-like.) 



