276 SCIENlDiE. 



The large fish is of a brownish bronze colour, rather Kghter 

 below, with a strongly marked spot behind the pectorals ; scales 

 silvery at the outer edges. 



The smaller fish is nearly of the same colour, chocolate brown, 

 or bronze intermixed with silver, but marked with four dusky 

 bands, one coming down to the pectorals, the second crossing 

 the first dorsal, and the last two crossing the second dorsal. 

 The pectoral fins are yellowish, the others dusky brown. 



The smaller fish has been by some persons supposed to be the 

 young of the larger species ; but this is, in my opinion, satis- 

 factorily controverted by Dr. Dekay, who has seen them in 

 September six inches long, with all the characteristics of the 

 adult. 



It is known by various popular names, as the Grunter, Young 

 Drum, and Young Sheep^s-head, but is a fish of very small 

 estimation. 



The larger species is rarely taken of less than three feet in 

 length, and fifteen or eighteen inches in depth ; they weigh from 

 twenty to eighty pounds, and although the large fish are very 

 coarse, the young are considered by some persons delicate eating. 

 They rarely go north of New York, but very rarely visit the 

 coasts of Massachusetts. 



