44 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



I. Annotated List of Fishes Known to Inhabit the Waters 

 OF Rhode Island. 



In the following list there are arranged in systematic order, by 

 families, all species of fishes known to have been found in the waters 

 of Rhode Island. In nomenclature and sequence of species, "The 

 Fishes of North America," Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 47, by Jordan 

 and Evermann, has been followed. The fishes enumerated represent 

 84 families, 149 genera, and 177 species. Of these about 30 are 

 important food fishes; about 65 may be said to be rare, as far as the 

 present records go; of these latter about 25 have been taken but once, 

 as far as is known. The type specimens of 6, or perhaps of 7, species 

 were taken in Rhode Island waters. 



PETROMYZONID.^. The Lampreys. 



1. Petromyzon marinus (Linnaeus). Great Sea Lam-prey ; Lamprey Eel. 



Geog. Dist. : Atlantic coast of Europe and America, south to Chesapeake 

 Bay. 



Migrations: Ascends fresh water streams in spring to spawn. 



Season in R. I.: Rare, sometimes caught in traps in Narragansett Bay, a 

 few in Taunton River in spring. De Kay in 1842 described specimens 

 from Providence. (De Kay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 381.) 



Reproduction: Spawns in fresh water in spring, dying after the process. 

 (Jordan, Guide to the Study of Fishes. I. 498.) 



Food: Parasitic on other fishes. 



GALEID.^. The Requiem Sharks. 



••2. 3Iustelus canis (Mitchill). Smooth Dogfish; Swilchtail. 



Geog. Dist.: Cape Cod to Cuba, southern Europe. 



Season in R. I. : :May toNovember. 



Food: Crabs usually, also lobsters, squids, annelids and fishes. 



Size: Small specimens one foot long caught August 23, 190.5; this size is com- 

 mon the remainder of the season. 



