The Drum Family 221 



THE BASTARD WEAKFISH 



(Cynoscion nothus) 



The bastard weakfish was first described by 

 Dr. Holbrook, in 1860, from the coast of South 

 Carolina. He named it nothus, meaning " bas- 

 tard," in contradistinction to' the well-known 

 weakfish just described. It is a rare fish of the 

 South Atlantic coast, preferring deep water, but 

 otherwise of similar habits, and of the same 

 general form as the weakfish of the northern 

 waters. It differs from it in coloration, and has 

 somewhat smaller scales, a smaller mouth, and 

 more compressed body, which is also a little 

 deeper and more elevated. Its color is grayish- 

 silvery, thickly sprinkled with small, dark specks 

 on the upper half of the body, and silvery below, 

 a row of dark spots marking the division. There 

 is another species inhabiting the Gulf coast 

 which will be noticed later. Whenever met with 

 they can be taken by the same methods and with 

 the same tackle as recommended for the northern 

 weakfish. 



THE KINGFISH 



(Menticirrhus saxatilis) 



The kingfish is also known as barb and sea 

 mink in the North, and in the South as whiting. 



