UKNKKAI, hKMKIl'TloN. -21 :\ 



'nil. i;i;\M»i:n roKvix \. 



(VrriMa OccUata — C'ivikk. 



This is a bcnutit'ul sprcirs, Ncry ran' at the UDitli, l)ut is 

 al)iiiKlaiit to the Miiithwarii. it is as excellent as it is liaiul- 

 sonie, aiul my southeni leaders will rccof^nisc it us the Poisson 

 Rouye, or Ked lisli ot" Ni-w Orleans, and as the Sea Bass or \\y\\ 

 Bass of Charleston. Like the rest of its family, it is a hold 

 hiter and a vifjorous fish, and is considered superlative on 

 the tnl)le. 



In colour it is blue above, lighter below, with head, cheeks, 

 and shoulders of a deep j;olden yellow, with ruddy metallic 

 retlections. Its dorsal Hu is dark ^reen ; pectorals, ventrals, 

 and anal dull red. At the base of the tail it has one, and 

 sometimes two dark brown confluent spots. To these its name 

 of Branded has been ascribed by l)r. .Mitchil, as if the marks 

 resembled the brand left by a heati-d iron. 



The body of this Corvina is more cylindrical, less compressed, 

 and shallower tlian in any of its family. The snout is blunt 

 but prominent. Lateral line concurrent with tlic ilorsal outline. 

 The teeth in one l)an(l in both jaws. The /nf-opcmiiiim is 

 serrated or toothed alonj; the whole marj^in ; the o/»rrriihnn 

 terminates posteriorly in two blunt spines. 



The first dorsal fin has ten spines ; the second, one spine 

 and twenty-six soft rays ; the pectorals have seventeen soft 

 rays; the ventral.**, one spine and five soft rays ; the anal, two 

 spines and eight soft rays; an«l the caudal, which is nearly 



