REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



117 



with the butter-fishes. A large specimen taken July 24, 1905, and on 

 August 16, 1909, a specimen was taken in the Conanicut Point trap. 

 Size: Eight inches. 



111. Poronotus tricanthus (Peck). Butter-fish. 



Geog. Dist.: Nova Scotia to Florida, rare south of Cape Hatteras. Com- 

 mon at Canso, Nova Scotia (Cornish, 1907). Abundant along whole 

 New England coast. At Woods Hole in 1898 the first were taken in a 

 trap at Cuttyhunk on May 11th, although reported at West Dennis on 

 the 5th. 



Migrations: Appears early in April off the Jersey coast. 



Season in R. I.: Appears toward the last of May, usually a little later 

 than the scup. The height of the spring run is during the first two 

 weeks in June. A few are present throughout the summer. In Octo- 

 ber occurs the fall run, and they finally leave in November. 



In 1905 butter-fish first appeared May 22. A few specimens were taken on 

 October 29, in a Dutch Island trap. 



In 1906, off Newport, the butter-fish were first reported April 16, an unusu- 

 ally early date. Two specimens were taken in Sand Blow trap. West 

 Passage, on April 30. 



In 1907, the first reported from Newport were taken May 10. On May 24, 

 50 barrels were taken at one haul off Newport. 



On July 29, 1908, at Hazard's Quarry trap they were very abundant and 

 had been for several days preceding. Few squiteague were present, 

 which fact may have accounted for the abundance of butterfish at this 

 time. 

 In 1909 butter-fish appeared off Newport about April 21. First appearance 

 of butter-fish in traps ofT Newport: 



Reproduction: Spawns in June. 



Food: Small fishes, small free-swimming Crustacea, annelids. 



Rate of Growth: In Narragknsett Bay young are frequently found in 

 August living under the protection of the stringers of jelly-fishes. On 

 August 2, 1908, specimens 1-5 inch (4.6 mm. and 5.5 mm.) were taken 



