GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 267 



The first dorsal fiu has nine spinous rays^ and is triangular in 

 shape, its fourth and fifth rays being the largest ; the second 

 dorsal has one spine and thirty soft rays ; the pectorals, twenty 

 — the ventrals, fifteen soft rays ; the anal has two spines and 

 twelve soft rays; the caudal has nineteen branched and 

 articulated rays. 



There is a variety of this fish {Leiostomus Xanthurus) peculiar 

 to South Carolina, which has no spots or bands, but has all the 

 fins, and more especially the caudal, yellow. 



