Sciaenops 



The only species which is of much food-value is the yellowtail or 

 mademoiselle. It is a well-known fish, very common from New 

 England to Texas on sandy shores. It is most abundant southward. 

 It reaches a foot or less in length and is a most excellent pan-fish. 



Colour, greenish above, silvery below ; back and sides more or 

 less densely punctate with dark dots, forming narrow, somewhat 

 irregular streaks; fins plain, mostly yellow in life. 



GENUS SCI^NOPS GILL 



\ 



This genus is very close to Ophioscion, from which it differs in 

 the loss of the preopercular spines with age, the serrate edge of the 

 bone becoming entire; caudal truncate or concave; soft dorsal scale- 

 less; slits and pores of upper jaw well developed. 



The genus contains but one species, Scicenops ocellatus, the red- 

 drum, channel-bass, redfish, bull redfish, or pescado Colorado, well 



known as an abundant and important food-fish of our South Atlantic 

 and Gulf coasts, from New York to Texas. It is very abundant, 

 especially southward, and is of rare occurrence north of Virginia. It is 

 fifth among the commercial fishes of Indian River, but is rare at Key 

 West. On the Texas coast it is the most abundant food-fish. Its 

 habits have never been fully studied. In Indian River it seems to be 

 resident, being most common in winter and early spring. The 

 larger individuals, such as are usually called channel-bass, appear to 

 leave the river for a brief time during the coldest season, and they also 



461 



