WINTER ABODE OF THE SOUP. 



W ^ I r^K 1 ^" 



ber, their stomachs are occasionally tilled with small Scup, which drop out of their mouths when 

 hauled on deck, found to be to the extent of five or six at a time. It is quite possible that they, 

 as well as other fish, seek in winter that portion of the Gulf Stream that corresponds in temper- 

 ature to that of their summer abode; and as the mean summer temperature of the waters of 

 Southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island amounts to about 63 Fahrenheit, they must go nearly 

 to the latitude of Norfolk, Virginia, before they can find that same temperature in the winter 

 season. 



The European analogue of our American Scup or Porgy is the Sparus auratut, the braize or 

 becker, sometimes bream, of the fishermen. These come on to the European coast in the summer 

 time, and are said to have much the same habits as the American species." 



A species closely related to the Scup is the " Goafs-head Porgy " of the Gulf of Mexico, 8te- 

 notomus caprinus. 



Sparus pagrus is rather common at Charleston and Pensacola, and is found also in the south 

 of Europe. There are also in our southern waters various species of the genus Pagellus, which 

 resemble in a general way the " Scup." 



130. THE SAILOR'S CHOICE LAGODON RHOMBOIDES. 



This species, which bears considerable resemblance in its form to the scnppaug, is found in 

 great abundance from Cape Hatteras south, and around the Gulf coast; also occasionally north of 

 Cape Hatteras ; it is known in the lower parts of the Chesapeake Bay, and two or three stragglers 

 have recently been taken at Wood's Holl, Massachusetts. It is not uncommon in the Bermudas. 

 It may readily be recognized by the longitudinal stripes of iridescent color upon the sides, and by 

 the peculiar character of the teeth, each having a prominent notch on either edge. 



The Sailor's Choice," as it is called in the Saint John's River, at Brunswick, Georgia, and 

 about Key West, bears several other names, being known about Cape Hatteras as the "Robin" 

 and "Pin-fish," at Charleston as the "Salt- water Bream," at Brunswick, Georgia, as the "Squirrel- 

 fish " and " Sailor's Choice," in the Saint John's River as the " Sailor's Choice " and " Porgy," in 

 the Indian River region as the "Sailor's Choice," "Scup," and "Yellow-tail," at Cedar Keys as 

 the "Porgy" and "Shiner," and at Pensacola as the "Chopa Spina." 



South of Cape Hatteras this fish is exceedingly abundant, and is usually found in company 

 with the sheepshead, which it much resembles in habits. Its jaws, however, are not so strong as 

 those of the sheepshead, by reason of which it is debarred from feeding upon the stronger shelled 

 mollusks and crustaceans, which constitute the principal diet of the latter. 



On the Atlantic coast the largest individuals rarely exceed ten inches in length, the ordinary 

 size in Eastern Florida being six or eight inches, with the weight of five or six ounces. 



The Sailor's Choice is one of the most deliciously-flavored fishes of our coast, being preferred 

 to the young sheepshead by many of those who are familiar with its good qualities. Lugger 

 states that it enters the drains of the ocean coast of Maryland, and is occasionally caught in the 

 lower part of the Chesapeake Bay. According to Jordan they are excessively abundant every- 

 where in the harbor of Beaufort, North Carolina, where they are taken by the thousand by boys 

 with hook and line from the wharves, but are seldom used for food, and are found equally numer- 

 ous through the Gulf States coast 



At Charleston, according to Holbrook, this fish is taken at all seasons of the year, though 

 most plentiful in May and June. No reference is made by this author to its value as an article 

 of food. At Brunswick, Georgia, the Sailor's Choice is highly esteemed; in the Saint John's 

 it is very abundant, and is taken in company with the sheepshead far up the river. It is easily 



