DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 359 



PHYCIS CHUSS, (Wai,baitm), Gim.. (Figure 811.) 



JSIciiiiius cliKss, Wai-baitm, Arteili, 1792, 18(5. 



Phycii) chusR, Gill, Proc. AcmI. Niit. Sri. Phila., 1862, 2,37.— Goode and Beax, Proo. IT. R. Nat. Miis.,x, 188.3, 



203.— Jordan aud Gilbert, Bull, xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus., 798. 

 PAi/eis amen'caH«s,STORER, Hist. Fish. Mass., 38. — Gunther, Cat. I'isli. Brit. .\Ius., iv,353; Cliallengpr Rejxnt 



XXII, 1887, 89. 

 limhelyopiis americanus, Schneider, Bloch's, Syst. Ichtli., 1801,53. 



A Phycis with the length of its body 4 times the length of its head, and 5 times its own 

 height. Snout obtuse, slightly ])r(>jecting. Origin of first dorsal in vertical above the root 

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

 filamentous, their tii)s quite beyond the origin of the anal. Scales in lateral line about 110, 

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



Radial formula: D. 9+57; A. 50. 



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

 fathom curve. The Blalce secured examples from station cocxi, in 39^ 59' 30" K. lat., 70° 

 12' W. Ion., at a depth of 143 f;ithoms, and from station CCCXLVI, in 40° 25' 35" K. lat., 71° 

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

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

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

 390 56' 45" K lat., 70° 5O' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 134 fathoms; and from station 2540, 

 in 390 58' 20" N. lat., 70° 52' W. Ion., at a depth of 144 fiithoms. 



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 be a 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 41oF. contained well-developed ova and were apparently ready to spawn. 

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

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

 Watch Hill, seeking shelter between the valves of a large species of scallop {recten tenxi- 

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

 Cape Ann, in which sometimes as many as fifty vessels are engaged. In 1S7S, at Glou- 

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

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

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



PHYCIS TENUIS, (Mitchill), De Kay. (Figiiro 312.) 



Gadus lenttis, Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Sue. N. Y., 1811, 372. 



Phycis lenuis, De Kay, ZooK New York, Fishes, 1842, 293.— Gill, Pror. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 232.— 



Goode and Bean, Bull. Mas. Corap. Zoiil., x, 1883, 203.— GOntuer, CliallcuKer Report, xxii, 1887, 89. 

 Phycis DeKayi, Kaup, Archiv. fiir Natiirgesehiehte, i, 18,58, 89. 

 Phycis furcatua, Storer, Bosti)n .Tourn. Nat. Hist., i, 418. 



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

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

 the eye. Origin of first dorsal somewhat further behind that (jf pectoral than in P. cIikss; 

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

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

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

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



Specimens of this species were obtained by the Blale at station cccix, in 40° 11' 40" 

 N. lat., 68° 22' W. Ion., at a depth of 304 fathoms; by the Albatross, from station 2513, in 

 4.'P 34' N. lat., 03° 5(i' 30" W. Ion., at a dejjth of 134 fathoms; and from station 2."'>40, in 

 390 58' 20" N. lat., 70° 52' \V. lou., at a depth of 144 fathoms; and a single specimen 

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



