526 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



It is very abundant in the great bays and sounds from NortH 

 Carolina to Cape Cod. In Albemarle sound many large individ- 

 uals are said to occur. In the St John's river, Florida, accord- 

 ing to Dr Goode, the fish is rather rare. In the vicinity of Pen- 

 sacola the late Silas Stearns occasionally obtained a specimen 

 of the fish. 



The striped bass has been introduced into California and has 

 now become fairly acclimated there. In the Delaware and 

 Susquehanna rivers this is one of the common fishes and it is 

 one of the most highly esteemed. 



This is a permanent resident of Gravesend bay, but the hight 

 •of the fishery occurs from October 10 to November 10. Large 

 fish, up to 45 pounds, are caught in May, but the fall fish range 

 from 9 inches to 24 inches in length. In Great South bay the 

 ■writer has obtained specimens at Blue Point cove. Great river, 

 Nichols's point, and off Widow's creek. A great haul was made 

 on Lone Hill Middleground about the middle of October, 1901. 

 The fish remains in some of the tributaries of Great South bay 

 throughout the year. According to Dr Mearns the species is 

 taken in great numbers in nets set through the ice of the Hud- 

 -son in winter, and in drift nets by shad fishermen in spring. 

 Large individuals of 60 pounds and upward are sometimes 

 caught in the winter and early spring. He once took a specimen 

 a little above the estuary of Poplopen's creek, in fresh water. 



At Woods Hole Mass. the fish is not common, and apparently 

 does not spawn; it arrives about Maj^ 1 and leaves about Novem- 

 ber 1; in size it ranges from ^ pound to 65 pounds. 



Thi« fish lives in the sea or in brackish or fresh water indiffer- 

 ently and it has been successfully kept in artificial ponds. In 

 cold northern waters its becomes icebound occasionally and is 

 said to hibernate. It prefers cold water, is carnivorous and pre- 

 daceous, feeding upon small fishes in the streams, consuming 

 specially large quantities of the alewife or river herring and 

 the young of the shad. In the shallow bays along the coasts 

 its food consists of killifish, silversides, anchovies, lant and 

 other small fishes, besides crabs, squid, clams, mussels and other 



