THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 337 



dorsal inserted a little nearer tip of snout than base of caudal. 

 Anal inserted behind origin of rayed dorsal, or about midway 

 between posterior margin of preopercle and base of caudal, spine 

 rather flexible, and middle of fin highest. Caudal rather broad. 

 Pectoral ^/^ to anal. Ventral inserted behind base of third dorsal 

 spine and reaching ^ to anal. Vent about J^ an eye-diameter 

 in advance of anal. Dusky-gray, with oblique cross-bands of 

 darker extending downward and forward. Anterior band at 

 nape extends to meet second band so as to form a V-shaped 

 blotch on each side. Dorsals, caudal and pectorals pale dusky, 

 upper part of spinous dorsal deeper. Length a little over a foot. 

 Beesley's Point. 



Color of young in life a beautiful plumbeous above tinted with 

 brownish and offset with fine greenish, purplish and bluish metal- 

 lic reflections. Markings on back of darker or deeper brownish 

 than body-color, and in some lights tinted with a little lavender. 

 Fins dull translucent brownish, spinous fins with blackish-brown 

 shades and soft dorsal and caudal with duller brownish. , Paler 

 markings on fins tinted with dull milky, dorsal spines burnished 

 with greenish and bluish. Pectoral, ventral and anal edged with 

 Avhitish, also radii of latter and first ray to each ventral. Greater 

 distal portion of pectoral dusky with rest of fin of dull brassy- 

 brov/n, base of pale. Ventral with body of fin of brassy-brown 

 tint, rays more or less whitish, and membranes specked or do.tted 

 with deep dusky or blackish. Anal similar and somewhat creamy. 

 Lower surface milky-white, specked or soiled a little with brown- 

 ish laterally. Sides of head and body with bluish and purplish 

 tints. Lips translucent. Iris warm brownish. Inside of gill- 

 opening gilded brownish and dusky. Ocean City. 



An abundant food-fish of excellent quality on sandy-bottoms. 

 My examples from Cape May, Anglesea, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle 

 City, Ocean City, and -Atlantic City. The young were found 

 abundantly in the surf at Stone Harbor, Cape May and Ocean 

 City, associated with Trachmotns carolimts^ Mcnidia mcuidia 

 notata and other small fishes. 



Menticirriis saxatilis Bean, Bull. U. S. F. Com., VII, 1887, p. 

 141, PL 2-3, figs. 7-8. 



Menticirrhus saxatilis Moore, Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892, 

 p. 362.— Smith, Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892, p. 377. 



22 MU 



