The Channel Fishes 345 



gill-covers are red, with a pale area from the eye 

 to the angle of the mouth ; there is a row of small, 

 round blue spots from the snout to the angle of 

 the gill-cover, also a bluish or dusky stripe ; the 

 upper fins and the caudal fin are mostly orange 

 in color ; the lower fins are yellow, and the iris of 

 the eye red. 



The dog snapper, like the other snappers, feeds 

 on small fishes and crustaceans. It grows to a 

 foot in length and to a pound or two in weight. 

 It is a good food-fish, sehing readily in the mar- 

 kets. It is quite gamy and voracious, and with 

 light tackle is worthy of the angler's skill. Hooks 

 No. i-o or 2-0 on gut snells, and sea-crawfish, 

 or a small minnow, are good baits. 



THE SCHOOLMASTER 



(^Littlanus apodus) 



The schoolmaster snapper was named by Wal- 

 baum, in 1792, based on Catesby's description and 

 figure of the schoolmaster in his " History of Caro- 

 lina," but in his figure he omitted the pectoral fins, 

 for which reason Walbaum named it apoda, mean- 

 ing " without a foot." Its range extends from 

 the Florida Keys to Brazil, and is abundant in 

 the vicinity of Key West, where it is seen daily 



