12 



XXIX.— SIWUIILE. 



ARCHOS ARGUS, dill, 



A. PRor.ATocfiriiALus, CWalil.) Gill. 



The Slieepsliead. 



Xearly oval in iV)rin, com])i'e.sse(l, tiiickcr ami nearly 

 straight at the belly; tliiuner and i;reatly arched alony; tho 

 back, with its greatest elevation op])Osite the sixth dorsal 

 spine. Tlie bend is large, eontpressed, elevated, i'liU between 

 the prominent orbits, and with a narrow, ronnded snout, 

 The head is du.^ky above, often with a bronzed or greenish 

 tint; body silver-grey above, shining silvery-white on the 

 .sides, and marked witli seven transverse, hliiisli-ldack bars. 



Fin-rays:— 1). 12.12: P. Ki: V. 1.5: A. :5.11: C. IT. 



Sparus ovis, Miteli. Trans. Lit. ^- IMiil. S<m-. New York, 

 I, p. :]92, pi. 2, fig. 5. 



Sarr/H.s oris, Cuv. <Sc \'al. VI, p. ^ul: Storer, lieport, p. 3(i: 

 JJeKay, New York Fauna, Fish. p. 89, pi. 8, iig. 2:J: Holbr. 

 lehth. S. Car. j.. ;-)4, pi. 8, Iig. 2: (luentlier, 1, y. 147. 



Fre({aents the oystei- loealities of all pai'ls of ( 'hesa[)eake 

 l"ay, but is now more eommon along our south-eastern coun- 

 ties, where it goes in small nunil)ers to feed on the aninnils 

 ot" t!ie ityster bars: for tho sanie I'eason wrecks of tdd ves.':.els, 

 on which l)<irna^-les and shells al)oun<l. are favorite resorts. 



T"'he fishermen of the lower part of the Fastern Shore go 

 nut in l)oats at night. a:nd by the light of a })iiie Icnot or 

 torch, strike them with a gaff, as tliey I'cmain quietly l)al- 

 aiiced near the bars. In this way a single fisherman will 

 sometimes eaidurc as many as twenty in a. single trip, and 

 flic r.peeimens of which will weigh fi-oiii 1 to 2;") pounds. 



r. ii. r. 



A'Ao. Coll. S. I. 



