94 FISHES OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 



by conspicuous white spots placed at intervals along the lateral line. 

 The Boston Hake grows to be a large fish reaching a much larger size 

 than the Squirrel Hake and has a somewhat more northern or deeper 

 water range. Small specimens may be distinguished from the Squirrel 

 Hake by the somewhat smaller scales, there being about one hundred and 

 thirty-eight in the length of the body as opposed to one hundred and 

 ten. The proportions of the slender anal fin are also somewhat different 

 in these two species. In the Boston Hake, its tip does not quite reach 

 to the beginning of the anal fin, whereas in the Squirrel Hake, it 

 reaches beyond that point. Hakes are large eyed, bottom fishes, more 

 or less nocturnal in habit. Their lower jaws are shorter than their 

 upper with a minute barbel at the chin; unlike most "over-shot" 

 fishes, their mouths are large. Boston Hake and Ling are most plenti- 

 ful in this vicinity in fall and winter, whereas the young of the Spotted 

 Hake may be found in the bottoms of rather deep muddy bays at any 

 season. 



Ling, that is, the Hakes, and the Silver Hake, also called "Frost 

 Fish," are probably caught in larger quantity by more rod and line anglers 

 from the city than any other fishes. Together with the Cod and an 

 occasional Haddock or other fish, they make up the bulk of catch in this 

 vicinity during the colder months. Boatloads of fishermen are taken on 

 daily trips to the offshore banks in their pursuit. Such deep-water fisher- 

 men use heavier tackle than those who fish primarily for Weakfish, and 

 instead of having a restricted fishing season in the summer, fish through- 

 out the year, in the warmer months turning their attention to Fluke, Sea 

 Bass, etc. The size of the day's catch is a larger item in the enjoyment 

 of a day's fishing for these species, evidence of the superiority of the 

 Weakfish as a true game fish. 



There is a single fresh-water species of the Cod family, the Fresh- 

 water Ling, widely distributed in far northern lakes, an ugly sluggish 

 soft fleshed fish resembling the Hakes very much in appearance, but its 

 ventral fins, although narrow and pointed, are more normal. It has an 

 "over-shot" mouth with a conspicuous barbel on its chin, dorsal and 

 anal fins long, the former preceded by a short separate fin, caudal fin 

 rounded. 



XVI. The Flatfishes 

 (Heterosomata) 

 The Flatfishes or Flounders and Soles are perhaps the easiest 

 group to recognize at sight. They are flattened species, peculiarly 



