Miscellaneous Fishes 2>77 



This fish is closely allied to the northern weak- 

 fish, and belongs to the same family, Scianidcs. 

 It is known very generally in Florida as trout, 

 salt-water trout, or sea-trout, owing to its spots. 

 It is, of course, not a trout at all, and these 

 names should be set aside ; moreover, the name 

 sea-trout is preoccupied by the sea-run brook-trout 

 of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Its present specific 

 name, nedulosus, or " clouded," was bestowed by 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes, in 1830, displacing the 

 earlier and better name mactilatns, or " spotted," 

 conferred by Dr. S. L. Mitchill, in 18 15, for rea- 

 sons that it is unnecessary to refer to here. It 

 is abundant from Virginia to Florida, and along 

 the Gulf coast to Texas. It occasionally strays 

 as far north as New Jersey. 



It is almost the counterpart of the common 

 weakfish in the form of its body, the depth of 

 which is about a fourth of its length, and with a 

 similar head, eye, and mouth, but with somewhat 

 smaller scales, and a few less rays in the second 

 dorsal fin. Its mouth is large, with narrow bands 

 of sharp teeth on the jaws, and two long canine 

 teeth in the upper jaw. 



Its color is bluish gray on the back, with steely 

 reflections, the sides are silvery and the belly 



