51 



SPAEIDiE. 



CALAMUS MEGACEPHALUS, (Swainson) Poey. 

 Goat's head Porgy. 



Pagellus calamus, Cuv. &Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss. vi, 1830,206, pi. 152.— Poey, Mem. Hist. 



Nat. Cuba, ii, 1861, 367. 

 Sparus calamus, Poey, Rep. Fis.-Nat. Cuba, ii, 1868, 308. 

 Calamus megacephalus, Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fish, ii, 1839, p. 222. — Guichenot, Mem. 



Soc. Imp. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg, xix, 1868, 112.— Poey, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist, x, 



1874, 178. 



Common; fouud also in the West Indies, reachiug south to Bahia. 

 My specimens measure from six to eighteen inches. 



CALAMUS ORBITARIUS, Poey. 

 Sheep's-head Porgy. 



Pagellus orbitarius, Poey, Mem. Cuba, ii, 1860, 201 ; 1861, 367. 

 Sparus orbitarius, Poey, Rep. Fis.-Nat. Cuba, ii, 1868, 308. 

 Calamus orbitarius, Poey, Auu. Lye. Nat. Hist., N. Y., x, 1874, 79. 



Common ; recorded also from Cuba. This species very closely resem- 

 bles the preceding in form and babits, but is easily distinguished by the 

 shortness of the snout, which gives it a very abrupt profile. In S. cala- 

 mus, the diameter of the orbit is contained twice in the distance from 

 the extremity of the snout to the perpendicular from the anterior border 

 of the orbit ; in 8. orbitarius, once and one-half. The height of the two 

 specimens before me is the same ; and, in 8. calamus, the height is con- 

 tained in the length twice and three-quarters ; in 8. orbitarius, twice and 

 one-half. The specimens measure sixteen and fifteen inches, respect- 

 ively* 



Color. — Both species, greenish-olive, with golden longitudinal stripes. 



The names Goat's head and Sheep's-head no doubt refer to the enor- 

 mous pre-orbital bones which impart an ovine physiognomy to the fish. 

 The Porgies are taken with the hook in large quantity, and rank among 

 the most salable kinds. They live in deep water; and, when brought to 

 the surface, their bellies are greatly expanded from the removal of pres- 

 sure, giving them a very comical appearance. 



