38 BULLETIN OF THE TJNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



fishes of New York in 1842 he had access to a single specimen which had 

 been taken off Sandy Hook about the year 1820. 



The spawning-times and breeding-grounds of these fishes are not well 

 known. 



Mr. S. C. Clarke states that in the Indian Eiver they spawn in March 

 in the open sea, near New Smyrna, Fla. It is supposed that those vis- 

 iting our northern coasts breed at a distance from the shore. The eggs, 

 like those of the Mackerel, being lighter than the water, float at or near 

 the surface. The Pampanoes may, however, be truly migratory, seek- 

 ing the waters near the equator in winter and following along a coast- 

 wise migration, north and south, in summer. They are rapid, powerful 

 swimmers ; their food consists of mullusks, the softer kinds of crusta- 

 ceans, and, probably, the young of other fishes. S. C. Clarke remarks 

 that they have been known to bite at a clam bait. Genio Scott remarks : 

 " It is mullet-mouthed ; never takes a bait except by mistake." Their 

 teeth are very small and are apt to disappear with age. As seen in the 

 New York market they rarely exceed 5 i^ounds or 6 pounds in weight. 

 I quote in full the observations of Mr. Stearns : 



" The common Pomi^ano is abundant on the Gulf coast from the Mis- 

 sissippi Eiver to Key West, and, as far as I can learn, is rare beyond 

 this western limit until the Yucatan coast is reached, where it is com- 

 mon. It is considered the choicest fish of the Gulf of Mexico, and has 

 great commercial demand, which is fully sui)plied but a few weeks in 

 the year, namely, when it arrives in spring. The Pompano is a migra- 

 tory fish in the Pensacola region, but I think its habits on the South 

 Florida coast are such that it cannot properly be so classed. 



"At Pensacola it comes in to the coast in spring and goes away from 

 it in fall, while in South Florida it is found throughout the year. In 

 the former section it appears on the coast in March in schools varying 

 in numbers of individuals from fifty to three or four thousand, which 

 continue to 'run' until the latter part of May, when it is supposed that 

 they are all inside. Their movement is from the eastward and they 

 swim as near to the shore as the state of the water will permit, very 

 seldom at the surface, so as to ripple or 'break' the water, although 

 sometimes while playing in shoal water they will jump into the air. 



"Before any schools enter the bays certain ones will remain for days, 

 or even weeks, in a neighborhood, coming to the beach during the flood- 

 tide to feed on the shell-fish that abound there, and returning again to 

 deeper water on the ebb-tide. The holes or gullies in the sand along 

 the beach are their favorite feeding grounds on these occasions. Sharks 

 and porpoises ])ursue the Pompano incessantly, doubtless destroying- 

 many. The largest numbers come in April, and sometimes during that 

 month the first schools are seen entering the inlets, others following 

 almost every day until about June 1, when the spring 'run' is said to be 

 over. Every year they appear in this way at Pensacola and adjoining 

 bays, although there are many more some years than others. As the 



