6CIENI.DA. 209 



The tody is long, slender an.d compressed ; head convex above the 

 eyes, the scales moderate-sized, oval, coveting the head and gill-covers ; 

 the lateral line is slightly cwvcd ; tho eyes large ; maxillaries, inter 

 maxillaries, and pharyngeals minutely toothed. 



The first dorsal fin is triangular, and longer than it is high, of eight 

 weak spines ; between this and the second dorsal is a single weak 

 spine. The second dorsal has twenty-eight soft rays, the pectorals 

 have eighteen soft rays, the ventrals one spine and five soft rays, the 

 anal thirteen, and the «audal seventeen rays. 



Of this fish there are two distinct varieties, the Otolithic Caroli 

 mensis, also misnamed Trout, which is bluer on the back than tha 

 Common Weak-Fish, and is spotted rather than striated ; and th 

 Otolitkm Drummondi, a smaller species found at New Orleans. 



The Common Weak-Fish is taken with the hook and reel of ai 

 sizes, from a few ounees up to seven or eight pounds, and it is posi 

 tivaly asserted even np to thirty, but I have never seen a specime» 

 approaching to such dimensions. 



