THE FOOD AND GAME FISHES OF NEW YORK. 445 



after frosts have set in. The species ascends fresh-water rivers far above the limits 

 of tide, and may be transferred suddenly from salt water to fresh without incon- 

 venience. It spawns in the early part of winter, and is present at this time in such 

 large numbers as to make its capture with dip nets comparatively easy. The Frost- 

 fish is the commonest member of the Cod family in New York waters. Its size is 

 small, but, from the fact that it occurs in such abundance, it is an important market 

 species. It is subject to great variations in color; Dr. Mitchill enumerates among 

 its varieties five forms: the Brown, Yellow, Yellowish White, Mixed Tomcod and the 

 Frostfish. DeKay has published the statement that he has known the Frostfish to 

 be taken cut of the water along the shores of Long Island in great numbers with a 

 common garden hoe. He was informed that the species occasionally ascends the 

 Hudson as far as Albany. In Great South Bay we found large numbers of Tomcod, 



TOMCOD. 



which were covered with a lernaean parasite. The same thing has been observed 

 frequently at Woods Hole, Mass., and other northern localities. W T e found the 

 species in nearly all parts of the bay late in September in moderate numbers, and 

 more plentiful at Fire Island October i. 



July 29, 1898, a few young Tomcod were seined in Peconic Bay, near South- 

 ampton. In Gravesend Bay the fish is a fall and winter visitor. It does not live 

 in captivity in summer. Dr. Mearns has found this fish in the Hudson River, 

 where it is usually called Frostfish by the fishermen, who catch many of them in 

 their fyke and ice nets during fall and winter. It bites readily and is esteemed as 

 an article of food. Dr. Mearns has found it during the entire year, and in August 

 has found young Tomcod fully an inch or two in length. He states that this fish 

 is very often found in eel grass along shore, half dead, floating on the surface, but 

 able to swim a little. Mr. Eugene Smith says that the Tomcod runs up stream into 

 nearly pure fresh water in the vicinity of New York City. At Woods Hole, Mass., 

 it is abundant in winter, coming about October I and remaining till May i. It 



