290 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



part of opercle; a broad black bar from front of dorsal downward to upercle, connecting with black 

 opercular blotch; another and much broader from fifth to seventh dorsal spine nearly vertically down- 

 ward to belly; another from ninth t< > twelfth dorsal spine to vent; two others from soft dorsal to soft 

 anal, these fusing below; tins all red, the dorsal and anal encroached upon by the black sidebars; a 

 short black area behind eye: base of pectoral blotched with blackish. 



This species reaches a length of 2 feet or more and is known to range from Monterey Bay to Naha 

 Bay. Recorded (1884) by Bean from Mary Island. i 



Family 31. ANOPL0P0MATID£. 



91. Anoplopoma fimbria (Pallas). Black Cod. 



The black cod. coalfish, beshow, or skil, as it is variously called, occurs on our Pacific Coast from 

 Monterey Bay to the Aleutian Islands. It was taken by the Albatross at station 2809, in 1888, at Cordova 

 Bay in 1807. and at Loring, Pyramid Harbor, and Taku Harbor in 1900. One specimen from each 

 place is in the collection. Bean, in 1882, records it from Sitka and Wrangell and in 1884 from Hassler 

 Harbor. We also have one specimen (no. 02825), 14 inches long, taken with hook and line over the 

 rail off Fort Rupert (1903). 



This species is known at Loring and Taku as black cod; at San Francisco it is called candle-fish, 

 and on Puget Sound, horse mackerel; it is sometimes sold in the markets as Spanish mackerel; in the 

 Straits of Fuca it is known as beshow by the Neah Bay Indians. It is found usually in rather deep 

 water and is perhaps most abundant in the Puget Sound region. It is seen oftener in the Seattle 

 markets than in those of any other place. It attains a length of 18 to 20 inches and a weight of 5 

 pounds. 



As a food fish it occupies only a moderate rank, the flesh being rather dry and tasteless. On Puget. 

 Sound, however, where it reaches a larger size and is fatter than elsewhere, it is more highly esteemed, 

 particularly by the Indians. It is said to feed on crustaceans, worms, and small fishes. As a game 

 fish it is not without interest, taking the hook readily and making a fair fight. It can be taken with 

 cut bait at depths from 2 to 15 fathoms. 



Family 32. HEXACRAMMII).*. The Greenlings. 



92. Pleurogranornus monopterygius (Pallas). Atka Mackerel; Atka-fish. 



This interesting fish occurs in the North Pacific, chiefly among the Aleutian Islands. It was 

 described originally by Pallas in 1810 from specimens obtained ai Unalaska. Its center of abundance 



'^% 



Fig. 40. — Pleurogranunus monopterygiua (Pallas). 



seems to be in the passages about the- islands of Alka and Attn. It is known also from about the Pribilof 

 Islands and eastward through tin- Aleutian Chain to Belkofski and the Shumagins. Stejneger found 

 il at Saranskaya, Bering Island. Bean (1SS2) has recorded it from Unalaska, Chernofski, and Attu; 

 Turner 1 Ism; . found ii at Unalaska, Amlia Pass, Captains Harbor, Atka, and Attu; Gilbert (1895) lists 

 il from Unalaska; and Evermann found it in abundance during the last week of May (18921 at Atka 

 and Attu. 



