224 ZOOLOGY. 



even, velvety teeth. Generally there is a series of larger, equal, and sharp 

 teeth in the upper jaw. Cormna oscula is found in the interior waters of 

 North America, where it is generally called " sheepshead." The flesh is 

 of little value as an article of food. Its southern congener, the C. ocellata, or 

 red fish, found abundantly in the Gulf of Mexico and about New Orleans, 

 is much more highly prized in this respect. It bears various names, as 

 bass, sea-bass, red bass, at different points along the Atlantic coast, and is 

 occasionally caught as far north as Long Island Sound. Leiostovius has 

 a feeble anal spine, with minute denticulations in the preoperculum. Teeth 

 in the jaws equal, and very minute. Pharyngeals paved posteriorly ; two 

 dorsals. One species, Leiostomus obliquus, known as Lafayette, or crocus, 

 or chub, is abundant along the middle Atlantic shores of America, and 

 somewhat esteemed as an article of food. Another, L. xanthu?-us, is found 

 along the coast of South Carolina, where it is called yellowtail, or yellow 

 Jack. The genus Umhrina is distinguished from the other Scienoids by 

 the presence of a cirrus under the symphysis of the lower jaw. Umbrina 

 nehulosa, or the kingfish, is highly prized as an article of food, being 

 considered by many the best fish afforded by the New York market. 

 U. alhurnus is a closely allied species, found along the southern coast of the 

 United States, called whiting in South Carolina. The genus Pogonias 

 ditTers from Umhrina, in having several barbules under the jaw. Pogonias 

 chromis is the well known drum of the Atlantic coast, a fish of very large 

 size and excellent flavor. P. Fasciatus is the young drum of fishermen. 



The next family, the Sparid^e, has unarmed opercles, the head not 

 cavernous, the palate without teeth, and the jaws not protractile. Branchial 

 rays not exceeding six. The genus Sargus has cutting incisors in front 

 of the jaws, somewhat like those of man; the molars rounded. The most 

 important species is Sargus ovis, the well known sheepshead, a fish among 

 the first, if not the very first, in America, in point of excellence. It is 

 caught along the entire Atlantic and Gulf coast, and is occasionallv found 

 of extreme size. Sheepshead are exceedingly abundant about the Florida 

 keys, but are there considered very inferior fish. The further north they 

 are taken, the better the flavor. Other and- smaller species also occur. 

 The genus Pagi'us has two rows of small rounded molars in each jaw. 

 Pagrus argyrops is the porgee of the Atlantic, in some estimation for the 

 table. 



The family of Menid^ is similar to the SparidcB, but has a highly 

 protractile mouth, and occasionally teeth on the vomer, and denticulations 

 on the preoperculum. There are no American species of any special 

 interest in this family. 



Nature has given to the next family of Labyrinthibranche^ a remarkable 

 provision, enabling it to leave the water, and ti'avel to a considerable 

 distance in search of food. The eels, we have shown, possess this power 

 also, by reason of the smallness of their gill-openings, which can be closed 

 up very firmly. In the Lahyrinthiforms there is a highly vascular 

 membrane, folded together in a number of laminae, and occupying the 

 upper part of the anterior branchial arches. This membrane is highly 

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