FISHES OF NEW YORK 359 



silversides was known in the harbor of New York as the 

 anchovy and the sand smelt. Friar is a New England name for 

 the species; capelin is in use about Boston, and merit fish in the 

 vicinity of Watch Hill. Sperling is a name recently applied to 

 this species by some fishermen, and we have known persons to 

 offer the silversides as whitebait. In Great South bay it is 

 known as shiner. 



The silversides is known to occur on the coast from Maine to 

 Virginia. It is one of the most abundant of the small fishes in 

 our waters, swimming in immense schools made up of fish of 

 different sizes, and it forms a considerable part ol the food of 

 more valuable species, such as the mackerel, bluefish, weakfish 

 and flounders, and is very much in demand as a bait for hook 

 and line fishing. We seined the silversides in all parts of Great 

 South bay, and found it to be one of the most abundant and 

 characteristic species. 



The common silversides, or spearing, lives in Gravesend bay 

 almost all the year, hibernating in spring holes in winter. It is 

 well suited for a captive life and can endure a temperature of 

 71-|° in the salt water. 



In 1898 the species was found for the state museum at all 

 Long Island localities visited, Peconic bay, Mecox bay, the ocean 

 at Southampton, and throughout Great South bay. Small 

 individuals are sold in the markets as whitebait. In the time of 

 De Kay the fish was called anchovy and sand smelt and was 

 esteemed a savory food. 20 years before he wrote of the fishes 

 of New York, it was caught from the wharves and sold for bait. 



Genus kirti.aadia Jordan & Evermann 



This genus is close to M e n i d i a , but differs from it in hav- 

 ing the scales laciniate and the dorsal and anal fins scaly. 

 Three species known from the United States and Martinique. 



181 Kirtlandia vagrans (Goode & Bean) 

 Rough Silversides 



Chirostoma va grans Goode & Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 148, 1879, Florida. 

 Mcniilia vxujrnns Jordan & Gilhert, Froc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 267, 1882, Bull. 

 IG, U. S..Nat. Mus. 407, 1883. 



