96 U. S. P. E. E. EXP. AND SUEVEYS ZOOLOGY GENEEAL EEPOET. 



The species of this genus inhabit both the fresh, and salt waters. The fresh, water represen 

 tatives occurring as far north as the great lakes of Canada, whilst the marine ones belong to a 

 more southern latitude, for, Corvina argyroleuca, De Kay, as will be seen further on, does not 

 come under this heading. 



Now, A. richardsoni (Corvina richardsonii, Cuv. & VAL. Hist. nat. des Poiss. V, 1830, 100 

 EICHARDS. Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 64. Plate LXXVII. DE KAY, New Y. Fauna, IV, 1842, 

 76. STOKER, Synops. 1846, 72), appears to be peculiar to Lake Huron, at least has, so far, not 

 been met with anywhere else. Still, further researches into the ichthyology of the British 

 possessions in North America may bring to light other localities where the same species may 

 also occur. 



A. grunniens, figured in the present work, is known to exist in the Lakes Ontario and Erie, 

 also in the hydrographic basins of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. 



Closely allied to the latter is A. concinnus, from the brackish waters of the Rio Grande del 

 Norte (Rio Bravo), a specimen of which having been secured by the United States and Mexican 

 Boundary Commission. 



Finally, the Smithsonian Institution has just received a very characteristic species collected in 

 the bay of San Diego, California, a brief description of which is annexed further on. 



There are yet various species recorded in the method under the head of Corvina, the generical 

 affinities of which have not yet been critically determined. We refer to those occurring in the 

 seas and rivers of the East Indies, as well as those of the western coast of the Atlantic ocean. 

 Those in which the second anal spine is slender and much shorter than the following soft and 

 articulated rays of the same fin have been placed in the genus which Schneider, the commen^ 

 tator of Bloch, has long since named Johnius, the latter appearing to be synonymous with Sola 

 of Buchanan : Corvina ocellata, of our southern Atlantic coast, belonging to it. 



Again, there are some in which the limb of the preopercular bone, instead of being slightly 

 serrated, exhibits spines of greater or lesser development : these may finally come under the 

 head of Homoprion, a genus recently framed by Dr. Holbrook, to include analogous species 

 observed on the coast of South Carolina. 



The genera just alluded to, however, require a more thorough examination before the classifi 

 cation of all these species can be attempted. 



1. AMBLODON GRUNNIENS, Rafin. 



Buffalo Pcrcli, Grunting Perch, &c. 



PLATE XXIII. 



SPEC. CHAR. Profile of the head depressed on the nape. Snout thick, blunt, and short. Posterior extremity of maxillary 

 extending to a vertical line intersecting the anterior rim of the pupil. Extremities of pectorals almost even with th tips of 

 ventrals, or else projecting slightly beyond them. First anal spine diminutive ; second one stout and well developed. Caudal 

 fin posteriorly convex. Color bluish-grey, lighter beneath than above. Fins greyish-olive ; anal maculated. 



SYN. Jlmblodon grunniens, RAFIN. Ichthyol. Ohiens. 1820, 24. 



Sciaena oscula, LESU. in Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. II, 1822, 252. Plate xm. KIRTL. Rep. Zool. Ohio. 



168, 192. 



Sciaena grisea, L.ESU. in Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. II, 1822, 254. 

 Corvina oscula, Cuv. & VAL. Hist. nat. des Poiss. V, 1830, 98. RICHARDS. Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 68. 



DE KAY, New Y. Faun. IV, 1842, 73. Plate xxi, fig. 63. STORER, Synops. 1846, 67. 

 Corvina grisea, DEKAY, New Y. Faun. IV, 1842, 76. 

 White perch of the Ohio, lake sheepshead, buffalo perch, grunting perch, Sfc., VERNACULAR. 



