THE WEAK FISn OR SQUETEAGtIE. 



THE SOUETEAGUES. 



Weekvis, en Schol, en Carper, Bot.en Snoek, 

 Ja gy en hebt geen poel, geen water-hoek. 

 Oft krielter vol von Visschen ; die (te seek) 

 Ticht zinj te vinden. 



Jacob Steendam, 't Lotif van Niexv Nederland, ib6t. 



You've weak-fish, carp and turbot, pike and plaice ; 

 There's not a pool, or tiny water-trace 

 Where swam not myriads of the finny race 

 Easily taken. 

 Praise of New Netherland , translated by Hon. H. C. Muphhv. 



THE genus Cynoscion, is represented on our Atlantic coast by three 

 species. Cynoscion regale, the Weakfish, or Squeteague, is found 

 from Cape Ann to the mouth of the St. John's River, Fla., and possibly 

 to the Gulf of Mexico. Cynoscion carolincnse, the Spotted Squeteague, 

 or Southern Sea Trout, ranges from the Chesapeake to the Gulf of Mexico 

 and Lake Pontchartrain. The Silvery Squeteague, Cynoscion nothiim, is a 

 fish of somewhat unusual occurrence, observed at Charleston and in East 

 and West Florida. There was still another, described by Holbrook under 

 the name Cynoscion thalassi^mm, which has not been seen by other natur- 

 alists, and which is probably not a valid species. 



Like all of our important fishes, which have no European representative, 

 the Squeteague are known by a great variety of names. About Cape Cod 

 they are called "Drummers;" about Buzzard's Bay and in the vicinity 



