FISHES OF THE GULF OF MAINE 69 



ward. The two dorsal fins, of which the anterior is the taller, stand at the forward 

 end of the tail, the anterior, indeed, partly above the bases of the ventral fins, and 

 they are separated by an interspace nearly as long as the second dorsal fin. The 

 tail fin is of ordinary fish form — triangular and about three-quarters as long as 

 deep. The tail is shorter than in the skates — that is, it occupies only about one- 

 third the total length of the fish. The most interesting feature of the torpedo is 

 its electric organ and its ability to give electric shocks of considerable strength to 

 anyone touching it. 



Color. — Dark chocolate brown above; lower surface white except that the edges 

 of disk, fins, and tail are of the same dark chocolate tint. 



Size. — Adult torpedoes are usually 2 to 5 feet long and heavy for their size. 

 Specimens taken at Woods Hole average about 30 pounds, ranging from 4 or 5 up 

 to 75 pounds. Torpedoes as heavy as 200 pounds have been recorded, and they 

 have been taken up to 170 pounds or more in Massachusetts Bay. 



General range. — Tropical and temperate parts of both sides of the Atlantic; 

 Maine to Cuba on the American coast. 



Occurrence in the Gulf of Maine. — The torpedo is a southern fish, which, like 

 so many others, finds the northerly limit to its common occurrence at Capo Cod. 

 It strays past the cape into the Gulf of Maine often enough, however, to be looked 

 upon as a regular, if rare, summer visitor. It has been recorded even as far east as 

 Eastport (not, however, in the Bay of Fundy), as well as at various other localities 

 along the coast of Maine (e. g., Williamsport, off Seguin Island, and Casco Bay); 

 likewise at Cape Ann, in Cape Cod Bay, near Provincetown, and along the. outer 

 shores of Cape Cod, so it would be no surprise to find it anywhere along our shores. 

 It has also been reported from Georges Bank. Most of the records date back 

 many years. It is said to have been unusually common in the year 1819 and for 

 four or five years thereafter. Again in 1845 about a dozen came ashore or were 

 otherwise taken near Provincetown. It is as apt to be found in our Gulf now as 

 then, for one was seined off Seguin in about 1880, another was caught on a long 

 line set from the Grampus on LaHave Bank in the summer of 1890, one was taken 

 in a trap at Wood Island near Cape Elizabeth in 1894, and torpedoes were collected 

 by Dr. W. C. Kendall of the Bureau of Fisheries at several localities along the coast 

 of Maine in 1896. West of Cape Cod it is much mere numerous, appearing not 

 uncommonly trom May to November about Woods Hole. 



Breeding and habits. — The torpedo, like others of its tribe, is a bottom fish. It 

 feeds chiefly on small fish and to some extent on Crustacea. Probably it does not 

 succeed in breeding in the cold waters of the Gulf, but at Woods Hole it has been 

 found to contain nearly ripe eggs by the end of June. It is viviparous, the embryos 

 having been figured by Garman (1913, pi. 61). 



Commercial value. — Nowadays the torpedo is of no commercial value, but 

 years ago before the use of kerosene oil was general its liver oil was considered 

 equal to the best sperm for illuminating purposes. 



