SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 215 



Sun-fish are flat and rounder than a bream, and are reokon'd a fine-tasted fish, and not 

 without reason. They are much the size of angel-fish. 



The pompano ranks as one of the choicest of our salt-water food fishes, and 

 by many people is regarded as the best. The catch in the state in 1902 was 

 19,590 pounds, for which the fishermen received $965, the bulk of the yield com- 

 ing from Carteret, Beaufort, and Pamlico counties. In 1897 more than 53,000 

 pounds, valued at $1,728, were credited to the state, while in 1890 only 9,750 

 pounds, worth $780, were reported. With regard to the pompano in the Beau- 

 fort region Dr. Coker reported: 



The scarcity of the pompano at Beaufort prevents its being counted an important fish. 

 During the years 1902-3 the catch amounted to only a few hundred pounds. A few years 

 ago a good many boxes were shipped, and in the days of the Cape Lookout fishery quantities 

 were taken. The average weight is 2.5 to 4 ppunds, the largest being about 5 pounds. Fish 

 of 3 to 5 pounds weight bring prices which compare with those for mackerel, 20 to 25 cents, 

 sometimes 40 cents a pound, while the smaller ones are of much less value, hardly selling so 

 well as spots. 



Family POMATOMID.E. The Blue-fishes. 



This family, which is related to the Carangidse, contains a single genus. 

 Body elongate, compressed, covered with weakly ctenoid scales; head large; 

 mouth large, oblique, lower jaw projecting, premaxillaries protractile, maxillary 

 with a large supplemental bone; jaws with a sjngle series oi strong, wide-set 

 teeth; upper jaw with an inner row of small depressed teeth; a patch of villiform 

 teeth on vomer and on base of tongue, a band of such te?-fh on palatines; opercle 

 terminating in a flat point, preopercle produced and serrated; gill-membranes 

 free from isthmus and not connected; gill-rakers few and slender; branchio- 

 stegals 7; pseudobranchiae large; lateral line present; cheeks and opercles scaly; 

 air-bladder present; pyloric cceca numerous; dorsal fins 2, the anterior with 

 weak, low spines, the posterior dorsal long, elevated anteriorly; anal similar to 

 second dorsal, with 2 small free spines; dorsal and anal scaly; ventrals thoracic; 

 pectorals small; caudal widely forked. 



Genus POMATOMUS Lacfipfede. Blue-fishes. 



The generic characters are included in the family description. There is only 

 a single species, found in both old and new worlds. {Pomatormis, with cutting 

 opercles.) 



188. POMATOMUS SALTATRIX (Linnaeus). 



"Blue-fish"; "Tailor"; "Green-fish"; "Skip-jack"; Snapping Mackerel. 



Perca aaUatrix LinnEeus, Systema Naturae, ed. x, 293, 1758; Carolina. 

 PamatomuaaaUatrix,Ya.rToyi,\S77,2\0; Beaufort. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 380; Beaufort. Jordan, 1886, 27; 



Beaufort, Jenkins, 1887, 89; Beaufort. Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 946, pi. cxlviii, fig. 400. Linton, 



1905, 368; Beaufort. 



Diagnosis. — ^Body elongate but stout, depth .25 total length; head contained 3.3 times 

 in length; cheeks long; eye small, .5 length of snout and .12 length of head; maxillary extending 

 beyond eye; scales in lateral series about 95; top of head and a ridge above cheek naked; dorsal 

 rays viii + i,25; anal rays ii + i,25; pectorals about .5 length of head. Color: green above, 

 silvery below; the young brilhant silvery, {saltatriz, leaper.) 



