FISHES OF NEW YORK 183 



not esteemed in northern waters. Highly prized at Key West 

 xind the Bermudas; not much in favor at Porto Kico. 



The ladyfish is found on our coast from Cape Ood to the Gulf 

 of Mexico. It also occurs in the Bermudas and West Indies. 

 The Bermuda names are bony fish and grubber. It is considered 

 an excellent food fish on these islands, and Dr Goode testifies 

 (from personal experience to its value as an edible species. At 

 fOozumel, off the coast of Yucatan, it is highly esteemed. On 

 our coast it is occasionally found as far north as Cape Cod. 



The ladyfish is not described by either Mitchill or DeKay as 

 'one of the fishes of New York; and I did not see it in Great South 

 bay, but it was taken later in the fall by Capt. Lewis B. Thurber, 

 of Patchogue, who forwarded it to me. 



Dr Smith says it is very rare at Woods Hole Mass. where it 

 was reported by Prof. Baird in 1871. Since 1871 it has been 

 observed only once or twice, and none has been taken for many 

 jears. 



Family kliodontidj^^e^ 



Mooneyes 



Genus hiodon Le Sueur 



In the mooneyes the body is oblong, compressed, covered with 

 cycloid silvery scales of moderate size. Head short, naked, with 

 obtuse snout and no barbels. The mouth is terminal, of mod- 

 erate size; jaws subequal. The margin of the jaw is formed by 

 Ihe nonprotractile intermaxillaries and the slender maxillaries, 

 ivhich are articulated to the end of the intermaxillaries. The 

 opercular apparatus is complete. Intermaxillary and mandible 

 with small cardiform teeth, wide set; feeble teeth on the maxil- 

 laries; a row of marginal teeth on the tongue, those in front 

 very strong canines; a band of short close set teeth on middle 

 of tongue; vomerine teeth small, close set, in a long double 

 series; teeth on the palatine, , sphenoid and pterygoid bones. 

 The lower jaw is received within the upper so that the mandi- 

 bulary teeth are opposite to those on the palatine bone. The 

 very large eye has a little developed adipose eyelid. Nostrils 

 large, close together, with a flap between them; gill membranes 



