27 £ SCIENID.E. 



THE SILVERY CORVmA. 



CORVINA ARGYROLEUCA.— SILVERY PERCH. 

 Bodiamcs Arr/ywleucos — Mitch il. 



This fish, which greatly resembles the Perch, both in shape 

 and habits, is well known to the fishermen of New York as the 

 Silvery Perch. It is properly a native of the Caribbean Sea 

 and Gulf of Mexico, but ranges during the summer so far north 

 as the waters of New York. 



It is a free-biter, and a moderately good fish. 



It is of a lustrous silvery white on the upper parts of the 

 body, and opaque white below. Its dorsals, pectorals, and 

 caudal ai'e pale yellow ; its veutrals and anals, orange yellow. 



Its body is compressed, its dorsal outline arched and gibbous, 

 its lateral line concurrent with the back ; eyes large ; mouth 

 deeply cut ; teeth small, and disposed in bands ; the pre-opercu- 

 him has two small spines, and a serrated margin ; the operculum 

 terminates in two flat spines. 



The first dorsal fin has eleven spines ; the second dorsal, two 

 spines and twenty-two soft rays ; the pectorals, seventeen soft 

 rays ; the ventrals, one spine and five soft rays ; the anal, two 

 spines and nine soft rays ; the caudal, is slightly rounded, and 

 has seventeen soft ravs. 



