108 WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW TO CATCH FISH 



pectoral shortish, reaching past tips of ventrals ; caudal well forked, 

 the upper lobe the longer. Pyloric cseca 6. Color, in life, light blue 

 above, shading gradually into silvery below ; preorbital and snout of 

 a clear 'sky-blue ; a dash of blue on each side of upper lip ; each scale 

 on body with a blue center, the edge with a bronze spot, these form- 

 ing on back and sides very distinct orange-brown stripes along the 

 rows of scales, those above the lateral line extending obliquely up- 

 ward and backward, those below being nearly horizontal ; snout with 

 bronze spots ; 1 or 2 cross lines connecting front of orbits ; 2 or 3 

 oblique lines on preorbital, besides numerous bronze spots larger than 

 those on the body ; preorbital also with dusky shades, one of which 

 extends on upper lip ; cheeks and opercles with distinct bronze spots, 

 larger than those on body ; inside of mouth pale ; inside of gill cavity 

 tinged with golden; dorsal translucent, with about 3 bronze longi- 

 tudinal shades, composed of spots, those of soft dorsal most distinctly 

 spot-like ; edge of fin dusky ; caudal plain, yellowish at base, dusky 

 toward the tip; anal whitish, its edge dusky, its base shaded with 

 bronze ; pectorals and ventrals yellowish, the latter darker at tip. 

 Fresh specimens show no trace of vertical bands. In examples pre- 

 served in alcohol the yellowish and blue markings gradually disappear 

 and dark cross shades become apparent. A specimen 5 years in alco- 

 hol shows the following coloration : Silver-gray, with faint streaks 

 along the rows of scales ; a distinct narrow dusky band from front of 

 spinous dorsal through base of pectorals ; behind this 7 or 8 cloudy, 

 obscure bands, alternately broad and narrow ; a horizontal dusky 

 shade behind eye ; spinous dorsal with a faint medium pale shade ; 

 soft dorsal with 3 rows of faint spots ; other fins nearly plain. Length, 

 12 to 15 inches." Weight to 2 pounds; average, y± pound. 

 Caught : Same as Pinfish. Edible, A. 



Illustration. Page. 



ioo. "STENOTOMUS CHRYSOPS." 544 1346 



Porgy; '-Head 3*4; depth 2 T V D. XII, 12; A. Ill, 



Common Scup; n . gcales 8_5Q_16 ; snout short, 2j4 in head; eye 

 small, narrower than preorbital, 4 to 4^ in head ; 

 fourth dorsal spine 2, third anal spine the longest, 3. Body ovate- 

 elliptical, the depth about the same from the first dorsal spine to the 

 eleventh ; anterior profile steep, nape convex, a strong depression 

 above and in front of eye, straightish over snout ; pectoral less than 



