FISHES OF CHESAPEAKE BAY 
247 
The white perch is a rather small fish, those seen in the markets usually weighing less than 1 
pound. However, it is always in demand and is one of the favorite food fishes of the bay. The 
maximum weight attained by the species is 2 pounds, but in the Chesapeake it seldom exceeds 
1 Yz pounds. 
Habitat. — Nova Scotia to South Carolina. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: From many localities, principally from the upper 
sections of the bay. ( b ) Specimens in collections: From many localities from Havre de Grace, 
Md., to Cape Charles and Cape Henry, Va. 
Comparison of lengths and weights of white perch 
Number of fish weighed and measured 
Length 
Weight 
Number of fish weighed and measured 
Length 
Weight 
2 
Inches 
3 % 
4 
Ounces 
0.4 
Inches 
V% 
Ounces 
3.6 
4 
.6 
m 
3.8 
5 
4 % 
4k> 
4 % 
.6 
8 
4.4 
10 
.7 
17 
814 
4.7 
8 
.9 
8J4 
5.2 
14 
5 
1.0 
8 
8% 
5.7 
26-. 
5 % 
5J4 
5M 
6 
1. 1 
5 
9 
6.2 
26 - 
1.3 
9 
9% 
6.7 
23 
1.5 
10. 
9 ^ 
7.9 
32 
1.7 
3 
9 % 
8.8 
36 
6M 
6 Vo 
2.0 
3 
10 
9. 1 
35 
2. 1 
1 
10K 
9.9 
34 
6 % 
7 
2.5 
2 
10% 
11.4 
30... 
2.8 
1 
12% 
18.0 
40 
V% 
3. 1 
103. Genus ROCCUS Mitchill. Striped basses or rockfishes 
Body elongate, moderately compressed; head long, pointed; lower jaw projecting; base of 
tongue with patches of teeth; dorsal fins well separated, the first with about 9 or 10 spines; anal 
with 3 spines and 10 to 12 soft rays. Two species, one in the Great Lakes and Mississippi Basin 
and the other coastwise from New Brunswick to Alabama (and introduced on the Pacific), are 
known. 
134. Roccus lineatus (Bloch). Striped bass; Rock; Rockfish. 
Scisena lineata Bloch, Ichthyol., IX, 1792, p. 53, PI. CCCV; “Mediterranean Sea” (7). 
Roccus lineatus Uhler and Lugger, 1876, ed. I, p. 126; ed. II, p. 107; Smith, 1892, p. 71; Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 
1132, PI. CLXXX, fig. 478; Evermann and Hildebrand, 1910, p. 161; Fowler, 1912, p. 65; Snyder, 1919, p. 55. 
Roccus saxaialis Bean, 1883, p. 365. 
Head, 3.1 to 3.25; depth, 3.45 to 4.2; D. IX or X-I, 11 or 12; A. Ill, 10 or 11; scales, 7 or 8-60 
to 67. Body elongate, compressed; head rather low and long; snout pointed, 3.3 to 4.15; eye, 3 to 
4.9; interorbital, 3.75 to 5.4; mouth large, oblique; lower jaw projecting; maxillary broad, reaching 
middle of eye, 2.4 to 2.7 in head; teeth small, present in bands on the jaws, vomer, palatines, and 
in two parallel patches on tongue; preopercle serrate; gill rakers long, slender, 14 or 15 on lower 
limb of first arch; scales rather small, ctenoid, extending on the base of the vertical fins; dorsal 
fins well separated, the first with rather long stiff spines; caudal fin forked; anal fin with three 
rather strong graduated spines, the soft part similar to that of the dorsal, each with concave outer 
margin; ventral fins moderate, inserted a little behind base of pectorals; pectoral fins rather short,. 
1.8 to 2.1 in head. 
Color in life of a 17-inch specimen, greenish above; silvery on sides and below, with a brassy 
luster, except on belly; sides with 7 or 8 prominent longitudinal black stripes, several above and 
below lateral line, one running along lateral line, those below decreasing in length; the longest 
stripes reach base of caudal, but none extend on head; dorsal, caudal, and anal dusky or black; 
ventrals white, slightly dusky; pectorals greenish. Some of the side stripes are sometimes inter- 
rupted, but in number they remain fairly constant. Young of less than about 60 millimeters in 
length usually without dark longitudinal stripes, sometimes with indications of dusky crossbars. 
Numerous specimens of this common species, ranging in length from 30 to 360 millimeters 
(Iff to 14J4 inches), were preserved, and larger ones were examined in the field. The dark longi- 
