Pigfish ; Hogfish 



coasts of the United States, ranging as far north as Long Island and 

 south to the mouth of the Rio Grande. It is especially abundant on 

 sandy shores, where it is tal<;en in haul-seines. Laige numbers are 

 taken along the Carolina coast. It is very highly valued as a pan-fish, 

 and is known in some places as the sailor's-choice. 



Colour in life, light blue above, shading gradually into silvery 

 below; preorbital and snout clear sky-blue; a dash of blue on each 

 side of upper lip; each scale on body with a blue centi'e, the edge 

 with a brown spot, these forming on back and sides very distinct 

 orange-brown stripes along the rows of scales, those above the lateral 

 line extending obliquely upward and backward, those below nearly 

 horizontal; snout with bronze spots; one or two cross-lines connect- 

 ing front of orbits; 2 or 3 oblique lines on preorbital, besides numerous 

 bronze spots larger than those on body; dorsal translucent with about 

 3 longitudinal bronze shades, composed of spots, those of soft dorsal 

 most distinctly spot-like; caudal plain, yellowish at base, dusky 

 toward tip; pectorals and ventrals yellowish, the latter darker at tip. 



435 



