=The Jewfishes.=—In the warm seas are certain bass of immense size, reaching a length of six feet or more, and being robust in form, a weight of 500 or 600 pounds. These are dusky green in color, thick-headed, rough-scaled, with low fins, voracious disposition, and sluggish movements. In almost all parts of the world these great bass are called jewfish, but no reason for this name has ever been suggested. In habit and value the species are much alike, and the jewfish of California, _Stereolepis gigas_, the prize of the Santa Catalina anglers, may be taken as the type of them all. Closely related to this is the Japanese ishinagi, _Megaperca ischinagi_, the jewfish, or stone-bass, of Japan. Another Japanese jewfish is the Abura bodzu, or "fat priest," _Ebisus sagamius_. In the West Indies, as also on the west coast of Mexico, the jewfish, or guasa, is _Promicrops itaiara_. The black grouper, _Garrupa nigrita_, is the jewfish of Florida. The European jewfish, more often called _wreckfish_, or stone-bass, is _Polyprion americanus_, and the equally large _Polyprion oxygeneios_ is found in Australia, as is also another jewfish, _Glaucosoma hebraicum_, the last belonging to the _Lutianidæ_. Largest of all these jewfishes is _Promicrops lanceolata_ of the South Pacific. This huge bass, according to Dr. Boulenger, sometimes reaches a length of twelve feet. [Illustration: FIG. 256.—White Perch, _Morone americana_ Gmelin. (From life by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt; one half natural size.) ] [Illustration: FIG. 257.—Florida Jewfish, _Promicrops itaiara_ (Lichtenstein). St. John's River, Fla. ] Related to the jewfishes are numerous smaller fishes. One of these, the Spanish-flag of Cuba, _Gonioplectrus hispanus_, is rose-colored, with golden bands like the flag of Spain itself. Other species referred to _Acanthistius_ and _Plectropoma_ have, like this, hooked spines on the lower border of the preopercle. [Illustration: FIG. 258.—_Epinephelus striatus_ (Bloch), Nassau Grouper: _Cherna criolla_. Family _Serranidæ_. ] [Illustration: FIG. 259.—John Paw or Speckled Hind, _Epinephelus drummond-hayi_ Goode Pensacola. ] [Illustration: FIG. 260.—_Epinephelus morio_ (Cuvier & Valenciennes), Red Grouper, or Mero. Family _Serranidæ_. ]