liKNHKAl. l>Ksi"KirTli>N. :»(•.:» 



iiioiT itr less slijrlitly Iji*oii/ai1, the eilges ot (.very scale :iic imuli 

 (larkir lliiiii tin- piovniliiijr culuiir, wliieh i:ives tin- eli:iriietir i)t' :i 

 lilaek iut-«urk uii a Wluisli j^rumul to the whole surfaee of the 

 ti>li. Tlie fins, except iiifr t hi" pectoral, are pah' hhie ; the dorsal 

 anil anal more and less distinctly spotted with a (hirk<r shade of 

 the sanie ci»lour. 



The l)ody is ohloui: ami compressi-d ; thi' scales are ot an 

 ohloni; form, eoxcrini: the ojnrri//(i and extending; hi;:ii up on 

 tlu- dorsal ; the jnt-ojurrit/i/iii is distinctly toothed alon;,' its 

 i-ntire martrin,thc itperculuin has a large spine on it, and another 

 ahovc ; the teeth are like velvet pile on all the hones, those on 

 the outer edges of the jaws the largest. 



The dorsal fin has ten low spinons, and el(\cn much more 

 elevated solt rays; the pectorals have eighteen soft rays; the 

 ventrals, one spine and five soft rays; the anal, three spines and 

 seven soft rays; the caudal, trilohed, consisting of eighteen soft 

 rays. 



This tine fish is known hy a great nnmher of provincial titles; 

 among others, Dr. Dekay mentions the trivial names of Black 

 Hurry and Iluitaliills. 



It is a hold and free hiter, and is one of the principal ohjcets 

 of pursuit hv thosi- who join in stcamhoat i-xcnrsions to what 

 arc called the sea hunks, off the purt of New York, in the process 

 of which thev are often taken in considerahle numbers. 



