THE STRIPED BASS. I.33 



Perca Saxatahs. Scioctia Lineata. 



Peica Mitchelli. Centropome Raye, 



Peiia Mitchelli intcrrtipta. Le Bar Raye. 

 Labrax Lineatus. 



There are but two common names by which this fish is 

 known throughout the extended region where he is found — 

 they are: Striped Bass, north of Philadelphia, and Rockfish, 

 frequently abbreviated to Rock, at and south of that city. 

 And even these two names sometimes give rise to confusion. 

 A friend who was about to visit Admiral , in Mary- 

 land, he packing his dress-coat and other "duds," and I lazily 

 smoking and watching his proceedings — asked whether it was 

 worth while to take his rod and reel with him. I replied, 

 "Do so by all means; you will have time to go fishing in the 

 interval of your social engagements, and will find plenty of 

 Striped Bass and Bluefish." On his return he told me that 

 he was informed that "there were no fish to be caught there 

 but 'Rock' and 'Taylors,' and only the diggers fished for 

 them;" whereupon he fired off some choice explosives in 

 ancient Sanscrit, or Phoenician, or Volapuk, directed at me. 

 On the day that he left for home he discovered accidentally 

 that the "Rock" was his favorite, the Striped Bass, and 

 the "Taylor" the Bluefish. Then, poetically speaking, he 

 danced in his wrath, and tore his hair, and gnashed his teeth, 

 and wept bitterly. 



"A Key into the Language of America, or an Help to the 

 Language of the Natives in that part of America called 

 New England, London, 1643, by Roger Williams," gives the 

 Indian name of the fish, "Missuckeke" — Bass — and says: 

 "The Indians (and the English too) make a dainty dish of the 

 head of this, and well they may, the brains and fat of it 

 being very much, and sweet as marrow " 



It is unnecessary to say that there is little probability of 

 this name becoming common, though it is quite as descrip- 

 tive as some of the scientific appellations. 



