Miscellaneous Fishes 381 



THE DEEP-SEA WEAKFISH 



( Cynoscion thalassinus} 



This species was first described by Dr. Hoi- 

 brook, in 1859, from the coast of South Carolina. 

 He named it thalassinus, or "pertaining to the 

 sea," from its supposed habit of living in deep 

 water. It is either a rare fish or it has been 

 confounded with the common weakfish. It has 

 been recorded from several places on the South 

 Atlantic and Gulf coasts, in Virginia, South 

 Carolina, Florida, and Mississippi. It is supposed 

 to inhabit the deep water of the sea and Gulf, 

 though this is by no means certain. 



Its form is very similar to the spotted weakfish, 

 with a more pointed snout and somewhat larger 

 eye ; otherwise it is much the same. Its color is 

 brownish above, lighter below ; the middle of the 

 sides is marked with many dark dots ; there is a 

 dark blotch on the upper part of the cheek ; the 

 first dorsal fin is black, the second dorsal and 

 anal fins are dusky, and the other fins pale. The 

 same remarks as to fishing for the spotted weak- 

 fish will apply as well to this species, if the 

 opportunity should occur to the angler. It is a 

 doubtful species at best, and may eventually prove 

 to be an aberrant form of the spotted weakfish. 



