612 NATURAL HISTOEY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



meshes of the net were large, a great portion escaped, but with a seine properly constructed 

 enough could be secured to supply the American market. I procured several specimens of this 

 fish in 1847 at the residence of Mr. Audubon, on the Hudson River above New York." 



There is little reason to doubt that this species of Anchovy might be prepared in salt or in 

 paste, like that of Europe, and that the results would be equally satisfactory ; as an actual fact, 

 however, most of the Anchovies put up in Europe do not belong to this genus at all, but are 

 simply pilchards or sprats preserved in a peculiar manner, the name "Anchovy " having come to 

 be descriptive of a peculiar method of preparation rather than of the fish which is prepared. 

 Our Anchovy has recently been sold in considerable numbers in New York under the name 

 "Whitebait," although the fishermen distinguish it from the true "Whitebait," the young of the 

 herring, calling it "Spearing." 1 



CALIFORNIA ANCHOVY STOLEPHORUS RINGENS. 



The Anchovy of the Pacific coast is reported by Jordan to be of little economic value. The 

 commonest form is what he calls the California Anchovy, Stolephorus ringens, and which is thus 

 described by him: 



"This species is everywhere known as the Anchovy. It reaches a length of about six inches. 

 It ranges from British Columbia to Chili, and is probably found on the coast of Asia also. It is 

 found in sheltered bays, and is everywhere extremely common, but rather more abundant south of 

 San Francisco than northward. It serves as food for the larger species to a greater extent than 

 any other single species. The salmon, bonito, mackerel of all sorts, barracuda, sea-bass, the 

 larger flounders, and, in fact, a majority of the larger fishes make a large percentage of their food 

 of Anchovy. At San Francisco it is occasionally brought into the market. Some attempts have 

 been made to pickle them with spices for the trade, but this amounts to little as yet. ' A great 

 many are salted by the Chinese, who use them as bait for the flounders and rock-fish. Two 

 other species of Anchovies, Stolephorus compressus (Grd.) and Stolephorus delicatissimus (Girard), 

 abound south of Point Concepcion. They have no economic value." 



185. THE LADY-FISH FAMILY ALBULID-E. 



The Lady-fish, Albula vulpes, occurs in the West Indies, in the Gulf of Mexico, on the Atlantic 

 and Pacific coasts of North and South America, and stragglers have been found in the Western 

 Atlantic as far north as Cape Cod. It is also found about the Bermudas and Cape Verde Islands, 

 in the Indian Ocean, the Bed Sea, and on the coast of Japan. With us it is usually called the 

 "Lady-fish"; in the Bermudas the "Bone-fish," or "Grubber." At the Bermudas large schools 

 are taken, and there considered most excellent food-fish. From personal observation I can testify 

 that their reputation is by no means a false one. The "Lady-fish" doubtless occurs about Key 

 West, although the National Museum has as yet received no specimen from that locality. The 

 species is found iu some numbers in San Diego Bay, on the coast of California, where it is taken 

 with the mullet. On account of its beautiful color it sells readily, but is not especially esteemed 

 as a table fish. 



186. THE MOON EYE FAMILY HYODONTIDJE. 



Three species of this family are known by the names of "Moon-eye," Hyodon tergisus Le Sueur, 

 "Toothed Herring," Hyodon alosoides (Kaf.) J. & G., and "Silver Bass," Hyodon selenops Jor. & 

 Bean. The first-named species is abundant throughout the Lake region and the larger tributaries 



' J. C. Brovoort states that while trolling in August, 1873, near Now York light-ship, every bluefish captured was 

 gorged with the American Anchovy. Tbo Anchovy is preserved by salting or by grinding into fine paste with salt. 

 They may be caught with fine purse-nets. 



