The schoolmaster snapper was named by Walbaum, in 1792, based on Catesby's description and figure of the schoolmaster in his "History of Carolina," but in his figure he omitted the pectoral fins, for which reason Walbaum named it apoda, meaning "without a foot." Its range extends from the Florida Keys to Brazil, and is abundant in the vicinity of Key West, where it is seen daily in the markets. Under favorable conditions of temperature it has been taken on the Massachusetts coast.

The schoolmaster is very similar to the dog snapper in its general form, but differs greatly in coloration. Its body is rather deep and compressed, its depth being more than a third of its length, and the back is more elevated than in the dog snapper. The head is large, as long as the depth of the body, with a large mouth; the profile is straight from snout to the nape, thence regularly arched to the tail; the snout is long and pointed. The predominating color is orange, olivaceous on the back and top of the head, with eight or nine vertical bars across the body, equidistant, of a pale or bluish white color, the wider interspaces being red; the cheeks and gill-covers are red, with a row of small blue spots from the snout across the cheeks, just below the eye; all of the fins are yellow, more or less shaded with red.

The schoolmaster grows to about the same size as the dog snapper, usually from eight to ten inches, sometimes to a foot in length, and a pound or two in weight. It feeds on small fishes, crabs, and other crustaceans, and is a good food-fish. It is a fairly good game-fish, and on light tackle fights with vigor and considerable resistance. Sproat hooks Nos. 1-0 and 2-0 are quite suitable, and should be tied on gut snells. A sinker adapted to the strength of the tide must be used in the deep-water channels. Sea-crawfish, anchovies, or whirligig mullets are good baits.

The mangrove snapper (Lutianus griseus) and the mutton-fish (Lutianus analis) are larger snappers and better game-fishes. They are described in another volume of this series.

THE PORGY FAMILY

(Sparidæ)

The porgies of Florida belong to the family Sparidæ previously described, but not to the same genus as the northern porgy, as the scup is sometimes called. They are characterized by a deep, compressed body, humpbacked, with a large head and deep snout, and with a knob in front of the eye. The mouth is small, with strong, caninelike teeth and molars.

Calamus bajonado. The Jolt-head Porgy. Body oblong, compressed and elevated over the shoulders; head 3; depth 2-2/5; eye 3; scales 7-54-17; D. XII, 12; A. III, 10; anterior profile evenly curved; mouth moderate, maxillary not reaching front

of eye; snout long and pointed; teeth strong, conical; anterior teeth enlarged, 2 or 3 on each side in the upper jaw, and 3 or 4 on each side in the lower; molars in 3 series in the upper, and 2 in the lower jaw; dorsal fin single with slender spines.

Calamus calamus. The Saucer-eye Porgy. Body oblong, elevated more than the other porgies; head 3-1/3; depth 2; eye 3-3/4; scales 9-54-16; D. XII, 12; A. III, 10; anterior profile steep; outline of snout slightly curved; mouth small, maxillary not reaching front of eye; outer teeth strong, 10 or 12 in number, the outer one in each jaw, on each side, caninelike; dorsal spines rather strong.

[THE JOLT-HEAD PORGY]

[THE LADY-FISH]

[THE COBIA]

Calamus proridens. The Little-head Porgy. Body oblong and much elevated; head 3-1/4; depth 2-1/3; eye 4; scales 9-58-16; D. XII, 12; A. III, 10; anterior profile steep and straight; mouth moderate, maxillary scarcely reaching front of eye; anterior teeth of outer series slightly longer and more robust than those of the cardiform band; on each side of the upper jaw one of these teeth becomes much enlarged, caninelike, directed obliquely forward and downward, and strongly curved, the upper surface concave; there are usually 7 teeth of the outer series between these two canines; no evident accessory series of molars; dorsal spines slender and high.

Calamus arctifrons. The Grass Porgy. Body oblong, but little elevated; head 3-1/4; depth 2-2/5; eye 4-1/2; scales 6-48-13; D. XII, 12; A. III, 10; anterior profile unevenly curved, very convex before the eye; head narrow above; dorsal outline not forming a regular arch; a rather sharp angle at nape; preorbital deep; canine teeth, 8 in upper jaw and 10 in lower.