SHEEPS-HEAD. 983 



Corvina oseula, Cuv. et Val,, Hist. Nat. de Poias., v, 1830, 98.— Richardson, Fauna 

 Bor.-Amer., lii, 1836, 68 — Kirtland, Boat. Joarn, Nat. Hist., iii, 1840, 350.— DbKay, 

 Fishes N.Y., 1848, 73.— Storbr, Synopsis, 1846, 319.— Qunther, Cat. Fishes Brit. 

 Mus., ii, 1860, 297. 



Scicena grisea, LbSueur, .Journ. Acad. Na,t. Sci. Phlla , 1822, 254. 



Corvina qrisea, DeKay, Fishes N. Y., 1842, 76. 



f Corvina riohardsoni, Cuv. and Val., Hist. Nat. Poits., v, 100 —Richardson, Fauna 

 Bor.-Amer., 1836, 64— Gunthbr, ii, 298 (baaod on a deforintd individual). 



f Eutychelithus riohardsoni, Jordan, Man. Vert., 1st Ed , 242. 



Amblodon condnnua, Agassiz, Amer. Journ. Sci. Arts, 1854, 307. 



Saploidonotm conoinnua, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, 104. — Jordan, Man. 

 Vert., 1876. 



Amblodon lineatus, Agassiz, Amer. Journ. Sci. Arts, 1854, 307. 



Saploidonotua lineatus, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, 105. — Jordan, Man. Vert., 

 1676. ' 



Amblodon negleutus, Girard, U. S. Mex. Bound. Surv., lohth., 1859, II. 



Saploidonotua negUotua, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Soi. Phila , 1861, 105. 



DeacHption — Body oblong, rather elongate, the front rather steep, the outline of the 

 back posteriorly forming a nearly straight slope with scarcely any carve; the caudal 

 peduncle rather slender ; back very much oompresaed, its thickness being very much less 

 than that of the bally ; the greatest depth about one-third of the length ; head oblong, 

 the snout high and blunt; length of head contained about three and one-half times 

 in the length of body (without caudal tin); mouth rather small, jrather inferior; teeth 

 in a villiform band in each jaw, that of the upper preceded by a row of slightly 

 larger ones ; eyes rather large, placed anteriorly, their diameter about equal to the 

 length of the snout, and about one-fourth of the length of the side of the head ; scales 

 rather irregular in position, 50 to 54 in the course of the lateral line, seven or eight 

 rows between the lateral line and the dorsal, and ten or twelve between it and the ven- 

 trals; fin rays: D. IX-1, 30; A II, 7 ; first of the anal fin short, the second very large 

 and long, attached to a stout bone; general color grayish-silvery, the back darker, the 

 scales conhider.ibly punctate with fine dark points. Young specimens are often 

 marked on the back with oblique lines, caused by the presence of darker spots along 

 the rows of scales. This species reaches a length of more than two feet and a weight 

 of forty to fifty pounds ; specimens as seen in markets have usually a weight of one to 

 five pounds. 



Habitat, entire Great Lake Region and Mississippi Valley, southward to Georgia and 

 Texas. It is found chiefly in the channels of the larger streams and in the lakes. It 

 seldom ascends the creeks and small rivers. 



Diagnosis. — This species is the only one in Ohio which has two anal 

 spines, whereof the second is very much longer and stronger than the 

 first. 



In the Great Lakes this species is very abundant, and reaches a large 

 size. It is there known as Sheeps-head, and is very rarely eaten as food. 

 It has there the reputation of being " the most worthless fish that swims." 

 The flesh has at all times a more or less disagreeable shark-like odor, 

 which, in lake specimens, is often positively offensive. In the lakes the 



