FISHES OF THE GULF OF MAINE 291 



(temperature of 6S° to 72°) they have grown to 3.3 mm., the yolk has been resorbed, 

 and the mouth is fully formed. Larva? of 5 mm. show the first traces of the caudal 

 fin rays. At 10 mm. the dorsal and anal fins are differentiated, and by the time 

 the little fish are about 30 mm. long they show the fin forms, deep caudal peduncle , 

 and blunt noso of the adult tautog. The larva? and youngest fry of tautogs and 

 dinners resemble each other in general form, but the arrangement of the pigment 

 offers a ready means of identification of all but the very earliest stages, for in the 

 tautog the black pigment cells remain more or less uniformly scattered over the 

 whole trunk, whereas in the cunner they soon cluster in the two definite patches 

 described elsewhere (p. 285). 



We have found no tautog eggs nor larva; in our towings in the Gulf of Maine, 

 but being comparatively so scarce a fish and breeding close to the coast, we may 

 simply have missed them. Probably Tracy (1910, p. 137) is correct in assuming 

 that the young of 3 to 6 inches, which may be seined in abundance along the shores 

 of southern New England in summer, are 1 year old, but nothing definite is known 

 of the rate of growth of older tautog, nor at what age they mature. 



With so few fish in the Gulf of Maine that can be classed as "game" (that is, 

 affording sport on rod and reel), we may well wish this fish were more plentiful 

 there, for tautog fishing is very good sport indeed. 



Commercial importance. — The Gulf of Maine catch is so small that it is of no 

 commercial importance north of Cape Cod, but there is ready sale for all tautog 

 that are brought to market, most people thinking this a very good table fish. 



THE JOHN DORIES. FAMILY ZEID.E 



10S. John Dory 52 (Zenopsis ocellatus Storer) 



Jordan and Everinann, 1S9G-1900, p. 1660. 



Description. — The John Dory is easily distinguishable from all other Gulf of 

 Maine fishes of similar bod} 7 form by its long spines, armor, tiny tail fin, and by the 

 curious outline of its head. Like the butterfish it is very deep (only about one and 

 three-fourths times as long as deep) and very much compressed, rounded in outline, 

 with the dorsal profile of its head noticeably concave, its large mouth set very 

 obliquely, and its caudal peduncle very slender. The dorsal fin is in two parts, 

 spiny and soft rayed, the former originating over the upper corner of the gill cover 

 and having 9 to 10 spines — first, second, and third very long, the others graduated, 

 and all filamentous at the tips. The scft dorsal (26 rays) is considerably longer than 

 the spiny dorsal but less than half as high, and of nearly even height from front 

 to rear. The two dorsals together occupy the entire length of the back of the fish 

 from nape to caudal peduncle. The anal fin (24 rays preceded by 3 short stout 



11 Separable from the common "John Dory " of Europe by three instead of four anal spines, and a greater development of bony 

 plates. 



