CO RBI A MOONFISH AND FLASHER . 
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occasionally taken in the lower part of the Chesapeake Bay, and Prof. 
Baird obtained specimens about three inches long in August among the 
eel-grass on Tuckahoe River, in New Jersey. Stragglers have been taken 
at New York, and even as far north as Wood’s Hall, Mass. They are 
occasionally brought to the New York market, where they are highly 
esteemed. Gill, writing in 1856, said : “ I saw a single specimen of this 
species in Fulton market last year, which remained exposed on the stall 
from August 30 to September 6. It did not seem to be known. It was 
about fifteen inches in length, and one dollar was demanded for it.” 
DeVoe saw one in Catherine market, in August, 1864, taken in a net on 
the Long Island coast, near Flatlands. He speaks of its excellence as a 
fish for boiling, comparing it to the Sheepshead. By the fishermen of St. 
John’s River, Fla., it is considered one of the finest food-fishes, and its 
large silver scales command a high price at the fancy shops, where they are 
sold to be used in the manufacture of scale works. 
The Ravallia or Snook, Centropomus undecimalis , is a fish which has only 
recently been added to the fauna of the United States. 
It occurs only along the Gulf coast, where it is known by the Spanish 
name, “ Robalo,” with such variations as “ Ravaljo,” “ Ravallie ” and 
“Ravallia.” It ranges from Florida to Rio Janeiro, and occurs in the 
Pacific from the Gulf of California at least to Callao. The “Robalo” 
of Chili is quite another fish, the Pinguipcs chilensis , of Cuvier. A closely 
allied species, Centropomus robaleto , is the “ Constantine ” or “ Robaleto ” 
of the Mazatlan fishermen. 
The Centropomus is a perch-like fish, and is not unlike Stizostedium in 
appearance and structure. Its habits are very like those of its fresh- 
