38 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



natural history notes relating to the different species, observations 

 will be recorded which tend to show that most of the smaller shore 

 fishes, such as mummichogs {Fundulus), silversides (Menidia), 

 anchovies {Stole phor us), pipefish (Siphostojna juscum), bill-fish (T"//- 

 losurus marinus), and cunner {Tautogolahrus adspersus), come to 

 maturity on the second season after hatching from the eggs, that 

 is, when they are about a year old. On the other hand many of 

 the larger forms, such as the bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), scup 

 {Stenotormis chr y sops) , tstutog {Tautoga oni^is), squiteague {Cynoscion 

 regalis), butterfish {Poronotus triacanthus) , the toadfish {Opsanus tau), 

 and menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), probably come to maturity in 

 the third season, that is, when about two vears old. This last group 

 of species probably do not attain the average adult size until after 

 three or four years. 



The fresh-water species have received greater attention than in the 

 preceding lists. Twenty-four exclusively fresh-water fishes and about 

 fourteen other species which regularly spend a portion of their lives 

 in the fresh water have been reported from the inland waters of Rhode 

 Island. On this basis it would appear that this State is comparatively 

 poor as far as its fresh-water fauna is concerned. It may be recalled 

 in this connection that the physical conditions in Rhode Island are 

 different than those existing in our neighboring States. Rhode Island 

 forms no part of any great river system, neither are there found with- 

 in her borders many mountain streams and lakes such as exist in 

 New England further to the north. Hence our fresh water species 

 are mostly those which belong to the fauna of lowland streams and 

 ponds. Nevertheless the poverty in fresh-water species which is 

 suggested by this list is more apparent than real, since our knowledge 

 of the fish life of our ponds and streams is very inadequate. There 

 is little doubt that a systematic investigation of these waters would 

 yield many species not previously reported from this vicinity. 



It is perhaps needless to say that a discussion of the fishes of 

 Rhode Island must of necessity take into consideration the condi- 

 tions existing in the offshore waters of the south of our State. It is- 



