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CAIJFOKXIA I'ISII AND (iAMK. 



i.s I'Oiu-avt' iH'hiiul. \'ery tine dark points are (.'vcrywhcrc tliistccl over 

 the silvery color, making it more or less dusky bluish. The inner sur- 

 faces of the pectoral and ventral fins are dusky. 



Fig. 7. The white sea bass (Cynoscion iwhills). 



Tliough this fish is only distantly related to the bass, it is in California 

 almost universally known as the sea bass or white sea bass. On the 

 Atlantic coast fishes of this group are known as weakfishes. This 

 species is one of our most valuable food fishes, reaching a weight 

 of 90 or more pounds, and having firm Avhite flesh. It is found in con- 

 siderable al)undance along the California coast and southward to 

 Lower California. It has been reported as far north as Puget tSound. 

 The young has dusky bands extending down from the back onto the 

 sides. Fishermen call the small ones sea trout. 



The California "Bluefish" (Cynoscion parvipinnis). 



As in the white sea bass the snout is sharp; the tip of the lower jaw 



projects beyond it when the mouth is closed ; and the base of the second 



dorsal fin is much longer than that of the anal fin. It may be known 



from the white sea bass by the pectoral fin being less than half the length 



Fig. 8. Tile California l)luetish [Cynoscion (>ar-:'il'innis) . 



of the head, and its tip not nearly reaching as far back as the tips of 

 the ventrals. It is also distinguished by having one or two long sharp 

 teeth pointing backwards from the middle of the upper jaw. The dor- 

 sal fins are close together. The color is steel blue above and silvery on 

 the lower parts and sides. 



This fish closely resembles the white sea bass — in fact it is not recog- 

 nized as different by many fishermen. It does not reach as large a size 



