HomeDigital ExhibitsCatesby Volume IICatesby Volume II: The Pudding-Wife and Carolina Whiting

Catesby Volume II: The Pudding-Wife and Carolina Whiting

Mark Catesby's
Description of the Pudding-Wife

 

(TURDUS Oculo radiato)

These Fish are sometimes sixteen inches long, though generally of a smaller size; the eye red, from the circumference of which are spread seven blue rays; at the end of each mandible are three large teeth with the ordinary rows of smaller teeth; the upper mandible is loose, and can be contracted upon occasion under the adjoining bony part of the head, in like manner as in the hog-fish. The body of the Fish was covered with large scales of a brownish olive colour, having the edge of every scale blue; the gills are also marked with five or six irregular lines of blue, almost the whole length. On the back was extended a long yellow fin, bordered with a blue indented line; to the hind-part of the belly was fixed another such-like yellow fin bordered also with a blue indented line; and another small yellow fin under the abdomen, verged in the fore-part with blue; besides two behind the gills of a dirty colour. From one of these fins extends obliquely round the belly to the other a broad list, with four lines of blue and yellow alternately. The tail spreads widest at the end, half next the body of a dusky dark colour; the end of a reddish yellow.

Mark Catesby's
Description of the Carolina Whiting

 

(ALBURNUS AMERICANUS)

This figure shews the general size of these Fish. The iris of the eye yellow; the whole Fish of a light brown colour; the belly lightest; the gills having a faint tincture of red; the mouth wide, with very small teeth; the upper jaw reaches beyond the lower; the under lip having five or six fleshy barbles, resembling teeth hanging to it on the outside. It had one small fin on the middle of the back, two behind the gills, one under the abdomen, and another behind the anus; the tail unequally notched, the lower part extending beyond the upper. The market at Charles-town in Carolina is plentifully supplied with these Fish, and are accounted tolerable good meat.