300 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



This attractive little sparid abounds in tiie bays and estuaries from New 

 York to Cuba, and has on several occasions been taken in southern Massachu- 

 setts (at Woods Hole). Owing to an evident error in identification, Yarrow 

 Usted this species as " not abundant", whereas it is an exceedingly abundant fish 

 at Beaufort and elsewhere on the North Carolina coast, where its local name are 

 "pin-fish" and "robin." The name "pin-fish" refers to the dorsal spines, 

 which are exceedingly sharp and resemble ordinary pins in size and metallic color. 

 The name "thorny-back", applied to this fish in Topsail and Myrtle Grove 

 sounds, refers to the same thing. 



The maximum length is about 10 inches and the usual length only 6 inches. 

 Fish of all sizes may be taken in Beaufort Harbor throughout the year, and in the 

 laboratory fine-meshed seines many thousands are caught yearly, in company 

 with spot, mullet, silversides, killi-fish, etc. 



The food is quite varied, comprising small fish, worms, crustaceans, mollusks 

 and seaweed. 



Fish opened at the laboratory in June and July (1899) had no obvious 

 reproductive organs, but ovarian eggs were noted on August 6 (1903). A large 

 male examined by Mr. Worth on November 20 (1903) was fully ripe, and it is 

 evident that the species breeds in winter. 



Until very recently the species was not marketable in North Carolina and 

 when caught incidentally was thrown away; but it is now shipped from Beau- 

 fort and other points, ranking among the lowest grade of fishes, although it is by 

 many persons considered a superior pan fish. The principal catch is made in 

 New Hanover County, and in the Wilmington market the fish is regularly sold 

 from April to October, the fishermen receiving about 1 cent per pound. The 

 quantity sold in the entire state probably falls below 40,000 pounds yearly. 



Genus ARCHOSARGUS Gill. Sheepsheads. 



In this genus of American shore fishes, the body is stout, deep, compressed; 

 the rather small mouth has conspicuous, broad incisor teeth in front and strong 

 molars laterally; the posterior nostril is a mere slit in front of the eye; the 

 spinous dorsal is about twice length of soft part and the spines are strong, the first 

 spine being short and procumbent; the anal fin is comparatively short; the caudal 

 is slightly forked or deeply concave; and in the North Carolina species the body 

 is marked by broad black transverse bands. Five species, the 1 represented in 

 local waters being the largest and most valuable of all. (Archosargus, chief 

 Sargus, the latter being an ancient name for fishes of this group.) 



263. ARCHOSARGUS PROBATOCEPHALUS (Walbaum). 

 "Sheepshead". 



Sparus probatocephalus Walbaum, Artedi Genera Piscium, 295, 1792; New York. 



Archosargus probatocephalus, Yarrow, 1877, 210; Cape Lookout and Beaufort. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 379; 



Beaufort. Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 1361, pi. ccxvi, fig. 554. Linton, 1905, 382; Beaufort. 

 Diplodus probatocephalus, Jordan, 1886, 27; Beaufort. Jenkins, 1887, 90; Beaufort. 



