154 WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW TO CATCH FISH 



1\ in head ; longest soft rays 3^ in head ; upper caudal lobe rather 

 longer, If in head; longest anal rays 2^ in head, reaching when 

 depressed beyond the tips of the last rays ; second anal spine stronger 

 and longer than third, 2|- in head, reaching when depressed nearly to 

 the tip of the last ray; ventrals If in head; pectorals short, 1|. 

 Color, in life, dull pearly-grayish ; belly plain grayish, each scale on 

 body above with a conspicuous spot of dull olive-brown, these forming 

 interrupted, oblique, and wavy streaks ; head not spotted ; mouth not 

 much red, usually faintly orange near the angle in young specimens, 

 a black spot on opercle under angle of preopercle ; iris gilt ; fins all 

 dull, blackish-gray, the ventrals more or less tipped with blackish. 

 Younger specimens have dark lateral stripes arranged precisely as in 

 H. macrostomum and H. rimafor, and also a dark blotch at base of 

 caudal. In the very young, the spots on the scales are indistinct." 



"This species, which is not the Sailor's Choice of the South 

 Atlantic Coast, is abundant about Key West." (U. S. Commission, 

 1896, page 282.) 



Weight, 2 pounds ; average, ^ pound. Caught : Same tackle 

 and bait as other small fish among the Keys, and at Key West. 

 Edible, C. 



-•' 



Illustration. I'ajje. 



180. "FUNDULUS HETEROCLITUS." 273 640 



Mud Fish ; This is a worthless fish, caught up the Miami River. 



Mud Sucker (G.). 



