104 

 LAGODON, Holbr. 



L. rhomboides. 



~ s 



y- 



Nearly oval in shape, compressed. The head is small, un- 

 covered, with scales in front of the eyes. Head above pale 

 brown, with small golden spots; lips white; sides of head 

 marked with several alternate pale blue and golden lines; 

 the body above the lateral line marked with similar lines of 

 the same color, but more clouded, slightly arched and con- 

 centric. Below the lateral line these are horizontal, and 

 parallel to the belly, where the blue lines disappear, and are 

 replaced with alternate white and golden linen; belly white; 

 a dusky spot above the root of the pectoral fin. Before the 

 twelve erect spines of the single dorsal fin is a small recum- 

 bent spine. Total length, 10 inches. 



Fin-rays:— D. 1. 12. 11; P. 14; Y. 1. 5; A. 3. 11; C. IT. 



Sparus rhomboides, L. Syst. Nat. I. p. 427. 



Sargus rliomhoides, Cuv. & Val. VI. p. 68. pi. 143. cop. bv 

 DeKay, New York Faun, Fish. p. 93. pi. 71. fig. 228. 



Lagodon rliomhoides, Holbr. Ichth. kS. Car. p. 59. pi. 8. 

 fig. 1. ^ 



Sargus rhomboides , Guciither 1. p. 447- 



It enters the drains of our Ocean-coast, and is occasionally 

 caught in the lower part of Chesapeake Bay, wiiere it feeds 

 on the crustaceous animals and smaller fish. 



Acad, Coll. 



STENOTOMUS, Gill. 

 S, argyrops. 



Big Porgy, The Fair Maid. 



Form without the tail nearly oval; much compressed: 

 arched above; thin in front of the dorsal fin; thicker and 

 nearly straight at the belly. Head short, much elevated; 

 eyes large; color silvery below, iridescent, and often with a 

 gi'eenish or bluish tint above. The single dorsal fin, placed 

 in a groove of scales, is preceded by a short recumbent spine: 

 the jDCctoral is narrow and long. Total length, 14 inches. 



Fin-rays:— D. 1. 13. 12; P. 16; Y, 1. 5; A. 3. 12; C. 17. 



Sparus argyrops, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 471. 



— ocanfhnrus, Lacep. lY. p. 12;\ 



