

HABITS OF THE LUMP FISH. 255 



and Nova Scotia to deposit its spawn. It is then taken in considerable munbcr.x m-ar tin- harhori 

 at Halifax, the largest weighing about live iiotinds. They arc taken there <il' two different colors, 

 the one being a dark bine approaching to black, and the other quite red. Tlioxe of a red color 

 only are used as food; they are considered good by many, although very tat and somewhat oily; 

 the dark-colored is considered very inferior and is not eaten." 



On the Pacific coast the Gobiesocidce are represented by Gobieso,* retintlatus (Grd.) J. & G., a 

 sin. ill tish four or five inches long, adhering to rocks by a sucking disk on the breast. It is found 

 from Monterey northward, and has no economic value. The Cyclopteridcc are represented by the 

 rare Cyclopterus orbis occasionally taken in the Straits of Fuca and northward. The Liparididtr 

 are represented by Liparia pulchelluv Ayres, and Neoliparix mucosus (Ayres) Steiudachuer, small 

 fishes occasionally taken about San Francisco and Monterey, of no economic importance. 



80. THE GOBIES GOBIUXE. 



The Goby family is represented on the Atlantic coast by several species, none of which hare 

 ever been found north of Cape Cod, and none of which are or ever can be of the slightest impor 

 tance. Chief among these are the scaleless Goby, Gobosoma alepidotum, which is found between 

 Cape Cod and Texas; the Chubby Goby, Gobius separator, common along the Gulf coast, and several 

 species belonging to the genera Eleotris and Dormitator. They are not even abundant enough to 

 be worthy of consideration as food for other fishes. On the Pacific coast there are several small 

 species, which may be seen lying on the bottoms entering the lagoons. They reach the length of 

 three to six inches, and are of no economic importance, though the Chinese eat the Long-jawed 

 Goby, Gillichthyn mirabilis, and its flesh is said to be very good. The other species are Gobiit* 

 </la ucofrcenttm (Gill) J. & G., in Puget Sound; Lepidogobius gracllis (Girard) Gill, from Sa 

 Francisco northward; Eucyvlogubiun Newberrii (Girard) Gill, rarely seen about San Francisco, and 

 Gillichthys mirabilis Cooper, found the entire length of the coast, but abundant only from San 

 Francisco southward. The latter species burrows in the muddy bottoms of the lagoons. 



81. THE SEA-ROBIN OR GURNARD FAMILY TRIGLID2E. 



This family is represented on our Atlantic coast by several species, some of them being quita 

 abundant. The most striking of them all is the Sea-bat or Flying Gurnard, Dactylopterus volitans, 

 which is remarkable on account of its enormous spreading fins, larger than those of a flying-fish 

 wings which, however, are not sufficiently powerful to lift the body above the surface of the water, 

 though useful in maintaining the equilibrium of the heavy-headed body swimming through th 

 water. The colors of tVe body and of the fins are very brilliant, and the fish is often exhibited as 

 curiosity. It is found along our entire coast south of Cape Cod, and in the waters of Brazil; als 

 in the Mediterranean and in the neighboring parts of the Eastern Atlantic. 



The genus Prionotun. of which we have five specimens, resembles Dactylopterm in general 

 form, but the wings are much smaller, while two or three of the lower rays of these fins are devel- 

 oped into finger-like appendages which are used in stirring up the weeds and sand to rout out the 

 small animals upon which they feed. In Southern New England there are two large species, P. 

 palmipes and P. evolans, the latter distinguished by the presence of dark stripes upon its sides. 

 These attain the length of fifteen to eighteen inches and the weight of one and a quarter to two 

 pounds. They have excellent food qualities, but are eaten, so far as we have record, only in the 

 vicinity of Hartford, Connecticut, where they are known as "Wing-fish." They are taken in great 

 quantities in the pound-nets along the Vineyard Sound, especially the unstriped species, the habit-- 



