FISHES OF XEW YORK 527' 



marine invertebrates. Its movements while feeding depend- 

 greatly on the tides. It is to be found frequently at the moutha 

 of small creeks and in tideways, where it lies in wait for the- 

 large schools of small fishes, which constitute its food. 



The largest striped bass recorded was said to weigh 112- 

 pounds. At Avoca, North Carolina, Dr Capehart took a striped 

 bass weighing 95 pounds. It reaches a length of four and one 

 half or five feet. 



Spawning takes place from April to June, either in the rivers 

 or in the brackish waters of bays and sounds. Eggs have been. 

 hatched artificially in May on Albemarle sound. Dr Capehart 

 took a 58 pound spawning fish April 22, 1891. The eggs are 

 smaller than those of the shad and after fertilization they 

 increase greatly in size and become light green in color. This 

 58 pound fish probably contained more than one half million 

 eggs. Dr Abbott has found the young an inch long in the Dela- 

 ware the second week in June and by the middle of October 

 some of these had grown to a length of 4^ inches. The striped 

 bass has been kept in a small pool of fresh water and fed upon 

 crabs and oysters increasing in about eleven months from 6 

 inches in length to 20 inches. In the aquarium the species is 

 hardy and grows rapidly; it can be kept in good condition 

 almost indefinitely. In a Rhode Island pond it is stated that 

 bass w^eighing ^ pound to 1 pound in June had reached a weight 

 of six pounds in the following October. 



In fresh water, salted eel tail is a favorite bait for taking 

 striped bass, and the spoon or spinner is also a good lure, but 

 live minnows are preferred to all other baits. For surf fishing 

 shedder crab well fastened to the hook is a very killing bait. 



Genus moroae Mitchill 

 Body rather short and deep, compressed; maxillary broad, - 

 naked, without supplemental bone; teeth subequal; lower jaw 

 scarcely projecting; no canines; no movable teeth; base of 

 tongue without teeth; edge of tongue with linear patches of 

 teeth. Lower margin of preopercle finely serrate or entire, the 

 serrae not greatly increased in size toward the angle, and none 



