WOLF-FISHES, SCULPINS, AND WRASSES. 'J47 



K. WOLF-FISHES, SCULPINS, AND WRASSES. 



75. THE LYCODES FAMILY LYCODIDJE. 



This family is represented on our Atlantic coast by eight or ten species, and on the Pacific coast 

 by three others. They are large-headed, elongate tislies, with eel-like bodies, covered with a lax, 

 thick, slimy skin, and for the most part inhabit very deep water, and are seldom seen except by 

 the naturalist, and by the fisherman, who counts them among the refuse products of his lines. 



MUTTON-FISH. The Mutton-fish, Zoarcex anguillaris, called Congo Eel and Ling, and also 

 Latnper Eel, especially by the Maine fishermen, is often seen near the shore north of Cape Cod, 

 and in winter especially is frequently taken with hook and line from the wharves. This species 

 occasionally attains the length of three feet and the weight of six or seven pounds. 



The Mutton-fish feeds upon crustaceans and mollusks, and spawns in July and August in the 

 deep waters of Massachusetts Bay, its eggs being as large as buckshot and not very numerous. 

 The young fish are frequently taken in the Fish Commission trawl-nets. This speeies ( has been 

 recorded as far south as Fort Macou, in North Carolina, where Dr. Yarrow claims to have taken 

 two specimens, fishing from one of the wharves; and tl. K. Storer found it in Southern Labrador, 

 at Bras d'Or, where he obsirved that it was frequently taken in the herring seines. In Northern 

 Europe is an allied species, %. viriparuv, which brings forth its young alive, the embryos attaining 

 a length of four or five centimeters before leaving the mother, and in the Baltic making their 

 appearance in August <>r later. Malm records the capture in Southern Sweden, November 17, 

 1873, of a female with three hundred fully developed young, about forty millimeters long. It is 

 not yet definitely determined whether or not our species is viviparous, bnt it seems somewhat 

 improbable, although one taken in Gloucester Harbor, at a depth of eight fathoms, in a tempera 

 hire of 41 F., July 30, 1878, contained eggs which seemed almost mature enough to be deposited. 

 This is known in Germany as the Aalmutter, or Mother of Eels; in Holland, I'uit Aal ; in Scot- 

 laud as the Bard or Marooua Eel; in England as the Gutter. Eel-pout, or Green-bone; and in 

 Southern Sweden as the Aolkussa; the distribution of which is limited on the south by the 

 English Channel, on the north by the North Cape and Varanger Fjord, latitude 71. It enters 

 the Baltic, where it is frequently taken on the Prussian coast, especially about Memel. 



The Mutton-fish, like the Wolf-fish, or Sea Catfish, is one of those species which, while possess- 

 ing excellent qualities as a food-fish, is not, generally eaten. Mitchill speaks of having seen them 

 in considerable numbers in the New York markets in March, 1813, and De Kay in 18412 wrote: "I 

 have noticed this fish is most abundant in the New York markets in February and March. It is 

 caught on the coast in company with the common cod. It feeds on various marine shells and 

 affords a very savory food." 



In Gill's paper on the " Fishes of New York Markets," written in 1850, this fish is not men- 

 tioned as one of the kinds at that time sent to New York. 



.storer writes: "It feeds upon the mollusca and testacea, and the tlesh of the young lish is 

 sweet and very palatable. It is seldom met with in Boston market ; occasionally, however, it is 

 brought in by the cod-fishermen of Massachusetts Bay." 



It is occasionally eaten by the Cape Ann fishermen, by whom it is known as the Mutton-fish, 



