292 



FISHES OF NOBTH CAROLINA. 



October and later — than earlier; and a striking difference in quality is said to be 

 noticed in fish from different localities — the Bogue Sound fish being distinctly 

 superior to those from Harker Island in Cove Sound, and those from Neuse River 

 still better. The hog-fish catch of North Carolina in 1902 was 191,670 pounds, 

 for which the fishermen received $6,677, an average of 3.4 cents per pound; in 

 1890 it amounted to 256,520 pounds, worth $7,971, an average of 3.1 cents per 

 pound. The largest catch is made in New Hanover County. 



Genus H^MULON Cuvier. Grunts. 



Small American shore fishes, some of them highly colored; some very 

 important as food fishes in southern Florida. Body oblong, compressed, back 

 more or less elevated, mouth large; maxillary long and extending to below eye; 

 lower jaw included; preopercle finely serrate; rows of scales not parallel with 

 lateral line; junction of spinous and soft parts of dorsal fin marked by a notch; 

 dorsal spines 11 or 12; second anal. spine very large; caudal forked; caudal 

 fin and soft parts of dorsal and anal fins densely scaled from base to tip; lips 

 and inside of mouth bright red. About 12 species, of which only 1 ranges 

 northward to the North Carolina coast. {Hcemulon, bloody gum.) 



256. H^MULON PLUMIERI (Lao^pede). 



"Snapper"; "Grunt"; Black Grunt (S. 0.). 



LahruB plumieri Lac^pfede, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, iii, 480, pi. 2, fig. 2, 1802; Martinique. 



HoBmulon arcuatum, Yarrow, 1877, 211; Beaufort (identification doubtful). 



Diabasia formostts, Earll, 1887, 493; black-fish banlss off Wilmington. 



Hamulon plumieri, Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 1305, pi. ccv, fig. 532; Gape Hatteras to Rio Janeiro. 



Grunt. Hcemvlon plumieri. 



Diagnosis. — ^Body somewhat elongate, elevated at shoulders, depth about .4 length: 

 head large, about equal to depth , upper profile slightly concave; mouth large, maxillary extend- 

 ing as far as pupU, .5 length of head; teeth strong, in rather broad bands; snout long, about 2.5 

 times diameter of eye; eye small, .16 to 20 length of head; gill-rakel-s short, about 12 + 15 on 



