98 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The economic value of the reptiles inhabiting the Gulf States is greater than in 
any other section. Foremost among them is the alligator, which occurs in every 
State, but is of commercial importance only in Florida and Louisiana. The crocodile 
is also found in Florida and is occasionally though very rarely taken. There are at 
least five species of terrapins in this section which are valuable as food. Four of 
these occur in fresh water, one of which, the u mobilian,” reaches a length of 16 inches 
and is very highly esteemed, especially in New Orleans, Mobile, and other Southern 
cities. The salt-water or diamond-back terrapin is also found in the salt marshes 
from Florida to Texas, and is a valuable object of fishery. This region is included 
within the range of three soft-shell tortoises, which are chiefly found in shallow, slug- 
gish streams with muddy bottoms; both their flesh and eggs rank high as articles of 
food. Two species of snapping turtle also inhabit the fresh waters of these States and 
are sometimes captured. Three important marine turtles frequent the Gulf of Mexico 
and are sought by the fishermen of nearly every State; these are the green turtle, the 
loggerhead, and the hawkbill or tortoise-shell turtle. The loggerhead turtle often 
attains a weight of 1,000 pounds, but the average weight is very much less; the green 
turtle is intermediate in size between the loggerhead and the hawkbill. 
Taking the region as a whole, the most prominent fish is the mullet, although 
this is relatively important only in Florida. Of the fish that are generally distributed 
and are taken in greater or less quantities in each State, the squeteague or trout ranks 
first, followed by the sheepshead and the redfish or channel bass. Other valuable 
fishes are the bluefisli, buffalo-fish, catfish, croakers, grunts, pompano, red snapper, 
and Spanish mackerel. The most important of these is the red snapper; the catch 
exceeds that of all other species except the mullet. In addition to the foregoing there 
is a great variety of other species, some of which are more or less peculiar to this 
region, such as the minor snappers, groupers, lady-fisli, whiting, drum, pinfisli, sailor’s 
choice, jurel, grunts, angel fish, sea bass, etc. 
In the tables of products all objects of capture have been reduced to the common 
unit of a pound, in order that the aggregate weight of the products of the fisheries may 
be shown. Oysters, among a few other products, are rarely, if ever, marketed on this 
basis, and it should therefore be borne in mind in reading the tables that the quantity 
of oysters given represents the weight of the edible portion, of which about 7 pounds 
are obtained from each bushel. Footnotes to all the general tables show the yield of 
oysters in bushels. 
A list and classification of the fishery products of the Gulf States is given in the 
following table. In the first column the various local names employed in this region 
are shown ; the second column contains the scientific identification of the species ; in 
the third column the names are given under which the products are recorded in the 
tabulations. Without having the actual specimens at hand for examination it would 
be impossible to identify with certainty all the fishes of this region by the vernacular 
names in use among the fishermen ; some of the local names have never been recorded 
and are of doubtful application, while many of the common designations are borne by 
two or more species, which may be of widely different character. This duplication of 
names is not only found by comparing distant sections or different States, but exists 
in the same localities. On the other hand, the same species may have totally different 
names in different localities. 
