CHATTER XVI. 
OF THE SHEEPS HEAD. 
This is another fish taken by the black-fish and basse sports- 
men iu the vicinity of New-York. He afi'ords considerable 
excitement in capture, and much pleasure as a table fish.* 
Of late years he has been considered very scarce, and docs 
not seem willing, as usual, to tickle the palates of the inhabit- 
ants of Manhattan Island. 
Sheep’s Head — (spurus ovis. — Mitchill.) — “ With smutty 
faco, banded sides, pale complexion, prominont eyebrows, 
and grooved dorsal fin. The form of the mouth, and a cer- 
tain smuttiness of face, have a distant resemblance to the 
physiognomy of the Bhcep. Thenco comes the namo by 
which he is usually distinguished. 
“ Grows big enough to weigh 14 or 15 pounds. One that 
weighed four pounds and a half, measured twenty inches in 
length, eight in depth, and three in thickness. Shecpshead 
is the most esteemed of New-Yoik fishes, and fetches a higher 
* It is said that the old adage, that “ two hoods oro hottor than one, 
if one is a sheep's head," will not apply to this fish. 
