DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND TIIEIK DISTRIBUTION. 



PHYCIS CHUSS, i VValbai m), Gn i . i Figure 311.) 



359 



Blennius chuss, \V\ir.\r\i. Artedi, L792, 186. 



Phyeischuss, Gill, Proc. i.cad. N;ii . Sci. Phila., 1863, 237. -G K and Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., \ 



l'< i:;. — .!< m;i > \ n and Gilbert, Bull, w i. U. S. Nat. Mas., T'.i 1 - 

 J'hi/ris americunus, Storer, Hist. Pish. Mass., 38. -GOnthi r, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., w , 353; Challenger Report 



xxii. 1887,89. 



EnchetyoptlS aiiiirictniHs. SCHNEIDER, Bloch's, Sy8t. Iclilli.. 1801,53. 



A Phycis with the length of its body I feimes the length of its head, and 5 times its own 

 height. Snout obtuse, slightly projecting. Origin of lirst dorsal in vertical above the root 

 of pectoral, its first ray prolonged, its length about two sevenths thai of body. Ventrals 

 filamentous, their tips quite beyond the origin of tin- anal. Scales in lateral line about 110, 

 and with about 9 lows above the lateral line under the first dorsal. 



Radial formula: D. 11 + 57; A. of). 



Many specimens apparently of this species were obtained outside of the hundred- 

 fathom curve. The Blake secured examples from station cccxi, in 39° 59' 30" X. hit.. To 

 12' W. Ion., at a depth of 143 fathoms, and from station CCCXLVI, in 40 > 25' 35" X. hit.. 71 

 10' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 44 fathoms. The A Ibatross obtained specimens from station 

 2420, in 37° 3' 20" K lat., 74° 31' 40" W. Ion., at a depth of 104 fathoms; from station 

 2539, in 39° 59' 45" N. lat., 70° 53' \V. Ion., at a depth of 133 fathoms: from station 2537, in 

 39° 56' 45" 2*. lat., 70° 50' 30" W. Ion., a1 a depth of 134 fathoms: and from station 2540, 

 in 39° 58' 20" X. lat., 70° 52' W. Ion., at a depth of 1 1 1 fath s. 



This is a common species along the coast of the New England States from the shoals 

 south of Cape Cod to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It appears to bea bottom-living fish,rarely 

 changing locality. It is believed that they spawn throughout the summer, for the young 

 fish are found through all the summer months. Specimens taken at a depth of 37 fathoms 

 in a temperature of 41°F. contained well-developed ova and were apparently ready to spa \\ n. 

 The young are frequently taken swimming on the surface on the southern coast of New 

 England in the summer, and numerous individuals have been found off Block Island and 

 Watch ITill, seeking shelter between the valves of a large species of scallop (Pecten tenui- 

 costatus) at a depth of 20 to 40 fathoms. An extensive fishery is carried on in winter from 

 Cape Ann, in which sometimes as many as fifty vessels are engaged. In 1878, at Glou- 

 cester alone 5,000,000 pounds at least of this and the related species, P. tenuis, were 

 landed. Fishing is carried on at night with trawls in 10 to 50 fathoms. The species has 

 been found oft' the coast of Virginia at a depth of 300 fathoms. 



PHYCIS TENUIS, i Mncim.i.i. De Kay. (Figure312.) 



Gadus tenuis, Mitciiii.i., Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. \. V., 1814, 372. 



Phycis tenuis, De Kay, Zo51. New York, Fishes, 1842, 293.— Giix, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 232.— 



Goode and Beast, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoo]., x. is*:;, 2u:i.— (Ji'siiiia:. (.'halli-n^er Report, XXII, 1887, 89. 

 Phycis De Kayi, Kacp, Archiv. fur Naturgeschichte, i. 1858,89. 

 Phycis furcatus, Storer, Boston Journ. Nat. Hist., i, lis. 



A Phycis with its body about 5J times as long as its own height, and 4 [ times as long 

 as the head. Snout obtuse, slightly projecting, considerably longer than the diameter of 

 the eye. Origin of first dorsal somewhat further behind that of pectoral than in /'. chuss; 

 its second ray somewhat prolonged, about two-thirds as long as the head. Ventrals some 

 what prolonged, their tips not passing, and sometimes not leaching, the origin of the anal. 

 Pectorals more slender than in /'. tenuis, and scales smaller, there being about 140 in the 

 lateral line, and about 12 rows between the origin of the tirst dorsal and the lateral line. 



Specimens of this species were obtained by the Blake at station CCCIX, in 40 11 in 

 X. hit., 68° 22' \Y. Ion., at a depth of 304 fathoms; by the Albatross, from station 2513, in 

 43 31' N. lat., 113 50' 30" W. Ion., al a depth of 1.11 fathoms; ami from station 2540, in 

 39° 58' 20" N. lat., 70° 52' YV. Ion., at a depth of 144 fathoms: and a single specimen 

 (Gloucester Donation, No. 422) by the Gloucester fishermen off the fishing banks 



