366 Bass, Pike, and Percb 



THE SNOOK, OR ROVALLIA 



{CentropomHS undecintalis) 



Centropotnus undecimalis. The Snook. Body elongate, with ele- 

 vated back and straight abdomen ; head 3 ; depth 4 ; eye 7 ; 

 scales 9-75-16; D. VIII-I, 10; A. Ill, 6; head depressed, 

 pikelike, the lower jaw projecting ; villiform teeth in bands on 

 jaws, vomer, and palatines ; tongue smooth ; dorsal fins well 

 separated ; preorbital feintly serrated ; subopercular flap extend- 

 ing nearly to dorsal fin ; maxillary to middle of eye ; gill-rakers 

 4 + 9- 



The snook belongs to the family Centropomidce, 

 which embraces a dozen or more species, most of 

 which inhabit the West Indies and the southern 

 Pacific coast, and are all good game-fishes. The 

 snook was first described by Bloch from Jamaica, 

 in 1 792 ; he named it undecimalis, or " eleven," 

 as the soft dorsal fin has eleven rays. The name 

 snook was mentioned as the name of this fish by 

 the early explorers, among whom was Captain 

 William Dampier, who also mentioned several 

 others, as " ten-pounders," " cavallies," " tarpoms," 

 etc. Snook is derived from " snoek," the Dutch 

 name for the pike, which it resembles slightly in 

 the shape of the head, though it is more like the 

 pike-perch in its structure and appearance. On 

 the east coast of Florida this fish is known as the 

 snook, and on the Gulf coast as rovallia, the latter 



