44 2 SEVENTH REPORT OF Till: FOKFST, FISH AND (1AMK COMMISSION. 



sometimes catch these fish in traps very late in fall at Provincetown. (After 

 Smith.) 



DeKay has the following remarks upon the fish : 



This is a very rare fish in our waters. It is called by our fishermen Red Sea 

 Perch, and they say it is only found in deep water. By the fishermen of Massachu- 

 setts it is known under the various names of Rosefish, Hemdurgon and Snapper. 

 Fabricius states that it is a rather agreeable food, but meager. It feeds on Floun- 

 ders and other fish, and takes the hook readily. 



The species reaches the length of 2 feet ; it is frequently to be found in the Bos- 

 ton markets, and is seen occasionally in the markets of New York with the skin 

 removed, on account of the hard scales. 



WHITING. 



134. Whiting; Silver Hake ( 



bilinearis Mitchill). 



Stomodon bilinearis MITCHILL, Kept. Fish. N. Y., 7, 1814. 



Gadits merlnciiis MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y., I, 371, 1815. 



Gadns albidns MITCHILL, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., I, 409, 1817. 



Merlnciiis albidns DKK.AY, N. Y. Fauna, Fish., 280, pi. 46, fig. 148, 1842. 



Merlnciiis bilinearis BEAN, igth Kept. Comm. Fish. N. Y., 249, pi. IV, fig. 5, 1890; GOODE 

 & BEAN, Oceanic Ichth., 386, fig. 330, 1896; H. M. SMITH, Bull. U. S. F. C., 1897, 

 107, 1898; JORDAN & KVERMANN, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., Ill, 2530, 1898; BEAN, 

 52d Ann. Kept. N. Y. State Mus., 109, 1900. 



Grayish, darker above, dull silvery below ; axil and edge of pectoral somewhat 

 blackish ; inside of opercle dusky silvery ; inside of mouth dusky bluish ; peritoneum 

 nearly black. 



The Whiting is known by the additional names of Hake and Silver Hake. 

 Mitchill describes it as the Hake, Gadns incr Indus. He states that it is caught with 

 the other Cod. DeKay called it the American Hake. He styles it a rare fish in the 

 waters of New York, and, when caught, always associated with the common Cod. 

 The specimen described by DeKay was taken in November off Sandy Hook. In 



