678 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



gill rakers rather short, about 10 below angle; maxillary three- 

 and one third in head. D. X-13; A. 12; Lat. 1. .58. 



Brownish above, clouded with darker; throat and branehio- 

 stegals dark; a distinct dark blotch above on membrane be- 

 tween fourth and fifth dorsal spines, this ocellated below; two 

 longitudinal light streaks below dorsal blotch; second dorsal 

 with oblique whitish streaks. 



The sea robin, known also as the red-winged sea robin, com- 

 mon gurnard, flying fish, butterfly fish, wingfish, grunter, and 

 cuckoo fish, is very common on our east coast, its range extend- 

 ing from the coast of Maine to South Carolina, chiefly north- 

 ward. The name flying fish is applied to the species in Great 

 Egg bay, N. J. This sea robin appears in Gravesend bay 

 in May, and is caught in the shad fyke nets. It is the earliest 

 of the sea robins to arrive. At Woods Hole Mass., accord- 

 ing to Dr Smith, it appears in May or June and remains till 

 October or later, and it is more abundant than the striped sea 

 robin. 



This fish grows to the length of about 1 foot. It is not a mar- 

 ketable fish, and causes fishermen a great deal of annoyance by 

 its wonderful voracity, and yet its flesh is firm and white, and 

 the species deserves a place among the food fishes. It feeds on 

 crabs, shrimp and similar crustaceans, and occurs on clean bot- 

 toms. This sea robin -Jbegins to spawn at Woods Hole early in 

 June. Its eggs are bright orange. The young are very common 

 in Waquoit bay in summer, but are rather rare elsewhere. The 

 young were found in Great South bay, at Point of Woods, and 

 both sides of Fire Island inlet in August and September. 

 Adults are also found in large numbers at Fire Island and at 

 other parts of Great South bay. This fish is taken in enormous 

 numbers in pound nets in spring and summer. Curiously 

 enough, De Kay refers to this as a very rare species. He says 

 that in the course of eight years he has not met with more than 

 six or eight individuals. One specimen which he examined, had 

 its stomach filled with the remains of crabs. 



