ON THE EAST COAST OE FLORIDA. 123 



of upper jaw less enlarged ; spinous dorsal elevated, the longest spine 

 reaching past front of soft dorsal, its length \yi in head ; coloration 

 strongly marked, body scarcely silvery. Profile slightly depressed 

 above the eyes ; eye small, 2^ in snout, 2 in interorbital area ; snout 

 long, bluntish ; mouth large ; maxillary reaching middle of eye, 2| 

 in head ; ventrals 1 ^ in pectorals, which are \\ in head ; scales all 

 ctenoid. Color, dusky gray above, sometimes blackish, the back and 

 sides with distinct dark oblique cross bands running downward and 

 forward, the anterior one at the nape extending downward, meeting 

 the second and thus forming a V-shaped blotch on each side ; a dark 

 lateral streak bounding the pale color of the belly, most distinct pos- 

 teriorly, and extending on lower lobe of caudal ; inside of gill cavity 

 scarcely dusky; pectorals dark." 



Illustration. Page 



123. "MENTICIRRHUS LITTORALIS." No illustration. 1477 



Whiting, Silver; "Head 3*4 ', depth 4+ ; eye 6^ in head; 



Surf Whiting. gnout 3^ D- X -I, 23 to 25 ; A. I, 7 ; scales 

 6-53 ; 12 pores. Upper lobe of caudal not longer than lower ; scales 

 rather large, 15 to 18 in an oblique series from vent upward and 

 forward to lateral line ; axillary scale not y x length of pectoral ; snout 

 distinctly projecting beyond mouth ; gill rakers larger than in other 

 species, the longest about )4 length of pupil, the number X + 7 ; 

 lower pharyngeal bones broad, most of the teeth developed as coarse 

 molars, only those along the posterior margin conical ; maxillary 

 reaching past front of orbit, 3)4 in head ; outer teeth of upper jaw 

 scarcely enlarged ; longest dorsal spines reaching past front of soft 

 dorsal, the free margin of the fin concave ; caudal rather deeply lunate, 

 the lower lobe rounded, the upper pointed ; ventrals If in pectorals, 

 which are 1 ^ in head. Color, silvery gray above, with bluish and 

 bronze reflections, immaculate ; a dark -bronze shade along sides on 

 level of pectorals, extending to tail and along cheeks ; belly below 

 this abruptly white ; dorsals light brown, spinous dorsal black at tip, 

 the base narrowly white; caudal pale, its tip usually black ; inner 

 lining of pectoral and ventrals blackish ; gill cavity pale." Weight, 

 y 2 to 2 pounds ; average, ^ pound. 



Usually caught on sandy bottom, inside and outside, rather shallow 

 water. No. 6 line, 1$ hook. Still fishing, in surf or inside. Bait : 

 Cut Mullet or Crustacea. Edible, B. 



