224 ZOOLOGY. 
even, velvety teeth. Generally there is a series of larger, equal, and sharp 
teeth in the upper jaw. Corvina oscula is found in the interior waters of 
North America, where it is generally called “sheepshead.” The flesh is 
of little value as an article of food. Its southern congener, the C. ocedlata, or 
red fish, found abundantly in the Gulf of Mexico and about New Orleans, 
is much more highly prized in this respect. It bears various names, as 
bass, sea-bass, red bass, at different points along the Atlantic coast, and is 
occasionally caught as far north as Long Island Sound. Leiostomus has 
a feeble anal spine, with minute denticulations in the preoperculum. Teeth 
in the jaws equal, and very minute. Pharyngeals paved posteriorly ; two 
dorsals. One species, Letostomus obliquus, known as Lafayette, or crocus, 
or chub, is abundant along the middle Atlantic shores of America, and 
somewhat esteemed as an article of food. Another, L. zanthurus, is found 
along the coast of South Carolina, where it is called yellowtail, or yellow 
Jack. The genus Umbrina is distinguished from the other Scienoids by 
the presence of a cirrus under the symphysis of the lower jaw. Umbrina 
nebulosa, or the kingfish, is highly prized as an article of food, being 
considered by many the best fish afforded by the New York market. 
U. alburnus is a closely allied species, found along the southern coast of the 
United States, called whiting in South Carolina. The genus Pogonias 
differs from Umbrina, in having several barbules under the jaw. Pogonias 
chromis is the well known drum of the Atlantic coast, a fish of very large 
size and excellent flavor. P. Fasciatus is the young drum of fishermen. 
The next family, the Sparip#, has unarmed opercles, the head not 
cavernous, the palate without teeth, and the jaws not protractile. Branchial 
rays not exceeding six. The genus Sargus has cutting incisors in front 
of the jaws, somewhat like those of man; the molars rounded. The most 
important species is Sargus ovis, the well known sheepshead, a fish among 
the first, if not the very first, in America, in point of excellence. It is 
caught along the entire Atlantic and Gulf coast, and is occasionally found 
of extreme size. Sheepshead are exceedingly abundant about the Florida 
keys, but are there considered very inferior fish. The further north they 
are taken, the better the flavor. Other and smaller species also occur. 
The genus Pagrus has two rows of small rounded molars in each jaw. 
Pagrus argyrops is the porgee of the Atlantic, in some estimation for the 
table. 
The family of Menip# is similar to the Sparide, but has a_ highly 
protractile mouth, and occasionally teeth on the vomer, and denticulations 
on the preoperculum. There are no American species of any special 
interest in this family. 
Nature has given to the next family of Lanyrinruisrancut# aremarkable 
provision, enabling it to leave the water, and travel to a considerable 
distance in search of food. The eels, we have shown, possess this power 
also, by reason of the smallness of their gill-openings, which can be closed 
up very firmly. In the Labyrinthiforms there is a highly vascular 
membrane, folded together in a number of lamine, and occupying the 
upper part of the anterior branchial arches. This membrane is highly 
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