192 KEPORT OF COMMI«!JlONJiR OF Flttll AND FISHERIES. 



Caraux hippos. Crcvalle; " Trvrallv." 



Occurs abiiiuliintly in tlic lower Chcsapojike, but is g:cucrally so small 

 that wlieii taken it is not utilized; it weij^iis less tliaii half a pound. 

 J t seems to enter the bay for the purx)ose of spawning", whieli takes place 

 in midsummer. 



Roccus lineatus. iitr'qn'd bufis ; " liovk." 



This valuable food-lisli occurs regularly on this shore in March, April, 

 and May, but is much l(%ss Jiumcrous than formerly. In 1800 tlic entire 

 pound-net catch was only 15,512 pounds, valued at $500. Dr. JolinT. 

 Wilkins states that this species Avas formerly very abundant in the 

 lower bay, where it was taken by seine (ishermen of the eastern slioie 

 and sent to Norfolk by the vessel load, sellin.i;- for 25 to 50 cents a 

 bushel. The yield was enormous; hauls of 200 to 400 bushels were 

 often made, and an average catch for a 100-fathom seine was 40 bushels 

 to each haul, from the last of March to the middle of May. About 

 1855 the fish began to decrease, and have continued more or less scarce 

 to the present time. Three sizes of fish are taken on this coast, to 

 which the fishermen have applied difierent names. The smallest ones, 

 called little rock, weigh 1 or 2 pounds; the next size, called chub rock, 

 average 10 i)ounds in weight; the largest, or bass rock, range from 20 

 to 00 i)ounds, averaging about 35 j)onnds. The I'un of the little rock 

 precedes that of the others; it begins in March, and is soon joined by 

 that of the chub rock, the two sizes being found till about May 15. 

 About May 10 the bass rock appear and continue running until June 1. 

 Another short run occurs in September and October, but few fish are 

 then taken. 



Chaetodipterus faber. "rorgy"; '' Mooiijlsh." 



Weighs 3^ to 4 pounds, and is a food-fish of some value. It sells at 

 10 cents each. Arrives in schools late in May, and is most numerous 

 in June and July, when most of the fish are caught. It usually remains 

 in the bay until the latter part of September. In 1889 six nets took- 

 1,104 of these fish, 1 being caught in May, 891 in June, and 272 in 

 July. The following year the fish were coini^aratively scarce, and only 

 111 were taken in the same nets. It is more abundant on the eastern 

 side of this part of the bay than on the Avestern shore, where the salinity 

 of the water is reduced by a large volume of fresh water brought down 

 by the rivers. The following interesting account of the spawning con- 

 ditions, eggs, etc., of this fish in this part of the Chesapeake Bay is 

 from an unpublished article by Mr, K. Edward Earll: 



rorgics Hecm to visit Clic8ai)c;ikn Bay for tlui imri)oso of spawning. When they 

 iirst arrive tho ovaritis autl spermarics arc Avell advanced, and soou individuals may 

 l>e found with the vj^'^h and milt running freely from thoni. On June 3 several 

 females wore ween at New Point, Va., with eggs nearly rijie, while ripe males were very 

 abundant. .luno 28 ripe fish of both sexes were foiuid at Crisfield, Md., and eggs 

 were taken from several females .md impregnated, alter which they wore confined 

 in lloating boxes having wiro-cloth bottoms, which had been placed in the Avator of 



