MO 
VERTEBRATA. 
Genus LEIOSTOMUS : Leiostomus. — This inchides the Sea-Chub or Lafayette, L. ohUquus, 
six to eight inches long ; delicious for the table ; common on our southern coast. 
Genus OTOLITHUS : Otolithus. — This includes the Weak Fish or Squeteaugue, 0. o-egalis, 
one to two feet long, sometimes weighing thirty pounds ; it is tolerable food, and is much angled 
for on our coasts ; found from the Mississippi to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
Genus CORVUSTA : Corvina. — To this belongs the Lake Sheep's-Head, C. oscula, twelve to 
eighteen inches long ; is indifferent food ; found in Lake Erie. 
The Branded Corvina, C. ocellata, one to three feet long, is a beautiful species, and highly 
relished ; found on our Atlantic coast. At the South it is called Bass, at New Orleans, Bed 
Fish. 
The Malashegany, C. Hichardsonii, is one to two feet long : common in Lake Huron, where 
it is greatly prized for food, and where it is called Black Sheep's-Head. 
Genus UMBRINA : Umhrina. — This includes the Bearded Umbrina, U. vulgaris, two to 
three feet long, and sometimes weighing forty pounds ; the flesh is white and good : common on 
the coasts of France, Spain, and Italy. The King-Fish, U. nebulosa, sometimes called the Ber- 
muda Whiting, is twelve to eighteen inches long; found along our coasts; abundant at the south. 
Genus POGONIAS : Pogonias. — To this belongs the Big Drum, P. chromis, two to four feet 
long, and sometimes weighing a hundred and twenty-five pounds ; the young are delicate food, the 
old are coarse ; found on the coast from New York to Florida. 
There are several other American genera of the family Scicenidoe. 
THE SPARID^. 
This family includes several valuable species, European and American, all living in the sea. 
Genus CHRYSOPHRYS : Chrysophrys. — This includes the Gilt-Head, C. aurata, twelve 
inches long; abundant in the Mediter- 
ranean, and found on the coasts of Africa 
and Europe, from France to the Cape of 
Good Llope. It frequents deep water on 
bold rocky coasts, and is occasionally 
taken both by nets and lines. 
The Aculeated Gilt-Head, C.aculeata, 
is twelve to twenty-four inches long ; found 
on our coast. 
Genus PAGRUS : Pagrus.—To this 
THE GILT-HEAD. ^^loug thc Braize or Becker, p. vul- 
garis, very voracious ; found in the Euro- 
pean seas; and the Big I^orgee, P. argyrops, eight to twelve inches long; of excellent flavor, 
and common from Cape Cod to Charleston. 
Genus PAGELLUS : Pagellus.— 
This includes the Sea-Bream, P. 
centrodontus. — This feeds on fish as 
well as sea-weed ; it is not much es- 
teemed for eating ; common in the 
European seas. 
Genus CANTHARUS : Cantha- 
rus. — This includes the Black- 
Bream, C. griseus, twelve to fifteen 
inches long, feeding like the pre- 
ceding: found in the European seas. 
Genus SARGUS : Sargus. — This 
includes the Sheep's Head, ;S^. ovis, 
one to three feet long, of a dull silvery color on the sides, Avith brassy tints on the back; 
derives its name from the resemblance of the mouth and teeth to those of a sheep. It is 
THK BKAIZE. 
