French Grunt; Open-mouthed Grunt 



South Atlantic States and Florida. At Key West it is the most abun- 

 dant of all the food-fishes, and is caught the year round, the best time 

 being in the fall. Their spawning season is in August and Septem- 

 ber, at which time they gather into immense schools on shoal, feathery, 

 and rock bottom, where they spawn. The eggs are said to be 

 "gritty " to the touch and about the size of a No. lo shot; when 

 ripe they separate and flow freely from the fish. After spawning, 

 the schools break up and the fish scatter. They are so abundant, 

 however, that they can usually be found in large numbers on any 

 suitable bottom. About Key West the white grunt grows to i8 

 inches in length and 4 pounds in weight, though the average is much 

 less. 



About Porto Rico, where it is called cachicata and boca Colorado, 

 it is one of the most abundant and useful species, and was seen by 

 us in all the markets of the island. It is there caught either in fish- 

 traps or haul-seines, while at Key West many are taken with hook 

 and line. As a pan-fish the common grunt is not excelled. 



Colour in life, light bluish; series of scales, each with a small 

 brown or brassy spot, these forming indistinct narrow lines running 

 upward and backward; body of scales above lateral line bluish, the 

 border brownish olive; a brassy band along lateral line; back with 

 some bronze; under parts whitish; about twelve narrow, irregular 

 bright blue lines on head, separated by broad brassy lines, these some- 

 times extending on body; inner edge of maxillary orange; lower 

 anterior edge of opercle yellow; inside of mouth red or deep yellow; 

 lips dusky; dorsal grayish, with a narrow yellow edge on spinous 

 portion; caudal plain gray; anal gray, tinged with yellow. 



French Grunt; Open-mouthed Grunt 



Ha:mttlon flavoliiieatiivi (Desmarest) 



Found from the Florida Keys south to Brazil, rare in Florida, but 

 generally common throughout the West Indies. About Porto Rico it 

 is one of the most abundant and valued species. It is usually found 

 on sandy shores, and is taken in traps, seines, or with the hook. It 

 reaches a foot in length, and is one of the most strongly marked 

 species of the family. 



Colour in life, light bluish gray; a bronze-yellow spot on upper 



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