GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 259 



THE LAKE SHEEP'S-HEAD. 



Corvina Oscula — Cuvier. 



This is a very common fish in Lake Erie, and also below the 

 Falls of Niagara, Avhere it is readily taken with the hook, though 

 it is in very small repute for its edible qualities, being commonly 

 reported to be dry, lean, and tasteless. It is in fact very rarely 

 eaten. 



Its colour is bluish grey on the back, darker on the abdomen 

 and the snout. Abdomen and chin greyish white. 



In shape it considerably resembles the preceding genera, 

 Grystes and Centrarchus, having a gibbous dorsal outline, and 

 arched profile, the lateral line being also, as in these, concurrent 

 with the curve of the back. The eyes are large, round and 

 prominent, situated close to the facial outHne. The teeth in 

 the jaws are small, conic, and sharp, but the palate and pharyn- 

 geals are paved with large rounded solid teeth, well adapted for 

 crushing its hard and shelly prey, such as the fresh-water clams 

 and muscles, cyclas and paludina, which constitute its principal 

 subsistence. 



The dorsal fin has nine spinous rays ; the second dorsal, one 

 spinous and twenty-eight soft rays ; the pectorals, nineteen soft 

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

 spinous and eight soft; the caudal, seventeen rays. Its air- 

 bladder is very large and simple. 



This fish, if I am not greatly in error, is very frequently 



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