122 AMERICAN FISHES. 
anchovies and sardines, and is very voracious. It spawns in July or 
August. Its flesh is tender, being very similar to that of the weak-fish 
(C. regale). It softenssoon, but, when fresh, is of a fire, delicate quality, 
and scarcely surpassed by any fish-on the coast. Several other species 
of this genus occur southward along the Mexican coast, where they are 
among the most important of the food-fishes.’’ 
