THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 321 



peculiar in form and in articulation, without supplemental bone 

 and slipping for most of its length under edge of preorbital, 

 which forms a more or less distinct sheath. Preorbital usually 

 broad. Teeth strong, those in front of jaws conical, incisor-like 

 or molar. Lateral teeth of jaws always blunt and molar. No 

 teeth on vomer or palatines. Posterior nostril largest, usually 

 more or less oblong or slit-like. Preopercle entire or serrate. 

 Opercle without spines. Gill-membranes separate, free from isth- 

 mus. Gills 4, a large slit behind fourth. Gill-rakers moderate. 

 Pseudobranchise large. Lower pharyngeals separate. Air-ves- 

 sel present, usually simple. Pyloric coeca few. Vertebrae usually 

 10 -f- 14 = 24. Intestinal canal short. No suborbital stay. 

 Body covered with rather large adherent scales, never truly 

 ctenoid. Sides of head usually scaly. Lateral line well developed, 

 concurrent with back, not extending on caudal. Dorsal fin single, 

 continuous, or deeply notched, spines usually strong, and depres- 

 sible in a groove. Dorsal spines heteracanthous, X to XIII in 

 number. Anal rather short, similar to rayed dorsal, with III 

 spines. Caudal usually more or less concave. Ventrals I, 5, 

 thoracic, and with a more or less distinct scale-like basal append- 

 age. 



Carnivorous shore-fishes of the tropical seas, and most valued 

 as food. Several species on our coast. 



Key to the genera. 



a. Second interhaemal bone enlarged, hollowed anteriorly or pen-shaped, re- 

 ceiving posterior end of air-vessel in its anterior groove. 



STENOTOMUS 



aa. Second interhaemal spine normal, not pen-shaped. 



b. Incisors conspicuously notched. lagodon 



bb. Incisors entire -or shallowly notched. archosargus 



Genus Stenotomus Gill. 

 The Scups. 



stenotomus chrysops (Linnasus). 



Plate 58. 

 Porgee. Porgy. Big Porgy. Scup. Sand Porgee. 



Head 3 >^ ; depth 2>^ ; D. I, XII, 12, i; A. Ill, 11, i; scales 

 50 in lateral line to base of caudal: 8 scales between origin of 

 21 MU 



