The Channel Fishes 329 



wrongly identified from his description by Wal- 

 baum in 1 792. It received its present name from 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes, in 1830, from West 

 Indian specimens ; they called it album, meaning 

 " white," as it is the lightest in coloration of any 

 of the grunts. It is much esteemed as a food- 

 fish at Key West. It is abundant from Key 

 West to Brazil, being quite common about the 

 Florida Keys, especially in the immediate vicinity 

 of Key West, being usually found in deep water, 

 except when it approaches the shallows to feed 

 on crustaceans, etc. It is rather a warm-water 

 fish. 



The margate-fish is of much the same propor- 

 tions, and of similar appearance, as the yellow 

 grunt, but with a more elevated and arching 

 back, and is more compressed. The teeth are in 

 narrow bands, and are somewhat smaller than in 

 the other grunts. The adult fish is whitish, oliva- 

 ceous on the back, with faint spots on the scales 

 of back and sides. The inside of the mouth is 

 orange ; the lips and snout yellowish ; the fins 

 dusky greenish; a broad but indistinct band ex- 

 tends along the sides. Younger fish are bluish 

 in coloration of body and fins, with dark parallel 

 stripes below. 



