FISHES OF NEW YORK 705 



cate. D. 8-43; A. about 45; scales rather large, about 90 in 

 the lateral line. 



Pale brownish, tinged with yellowish, the lateral line dark 

 brown, interrupted by white spots; inside of mouth white; first 

 dorsal largely black, this color surrounded by white; second dor- 

 sal olivaceous, with irregular, round, dark spots; caudal, anal 

 and pectorals dusky; ventrals and lower edge of pectorals 

 white; two vertical series of round dark spots on the sides of 

 the head. 



Mitchill described and figured the spotted codling under the 

 name of G a d u s p u n c t a t u s . De Kay called it the spot- 

 tod codling, P h y c i s p u n c t a t u s , and he gives a good fig- 

 ure of it. His example was 10 inches long. He says it is an 

 exceedingly rare but distinct species, and that it occurs from 

 the coast of New York to the Gulf of St Lawrence. As a mat- 

 ter of fact, the species extends even farther north. The codling 

 ranges southward to Cape Fear. In the northern part of its 

 habitat it is found in shallow water, but at the southern limit 

 it lives in considerable depths, having been taken from 167 

 fathoms. The fish is said to exhibit electrical powers in life. 



The spotted codling appears in Gravesend bay in small num- 

 bers in the fall. It lives in water below 60 F., and is easily 

 kept in captivity by refrigerating the water in summer. Its 

 habit of lying on the side, in imitation of the tautog and other 

 labroids is often observed. Prof. Alexander Agassiz discovered 

 electric powers in this fish. 



At Woods Hole Mass., according to Dr Smith, it is taken in 

 the seine only late in the fall. It varies in length from 7 to 12 

 inches. The species has been observed at Halifax N. S. 



Subgenus EMPHYCUS Jordan & Evermann 

 This subgenus differs from II r o p h y c i s in having the first 

 dorsal fin elevated, with one or more of its rays filamentous. 



351 TTrophycis tenuis (Mitchill) 

 Halce; White Hake 



<7or7.<! tennis MITCHILL. Rep. Fish. N. Y. 5, 1814; Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. 

 N. Y. I, 372. 1815, New York. 



