FISHES. 



219 



Europe and the southevn Atlantic and Gulf — the S!. pagrns. It is much less abun- 

 dant on the American side than on the European. 



The fish called porgee about New York, and scup or souppaug {Stenotomus chry- 

 sops, or, also, S. argyrops) in New England, is by far the most common of the Spa- 

 rids along the northern coast, and extends naturally as far as Ca2)e Cod. It may be 

 distinguished by the very narrow and compressed incisors, and by the teeth on the 

 sides, developed as grinders, in about two rows. The word porgee is derived from 

 the old Latin pagnis, which has been modified by various European nations into 

 different forms. Scuppaug is from an old Narragansett Indian name, and scup is an 

 abbreviated form of it. It is a pity that the original scuppaug, or its abbreviation, 

 scup, could not be adopted generally, but the conflict of names will probably con- 

 tinue. There are still other names applied to it. On the Virginia coast, for example, 

 the name porgee is applied to the moon-fish {Chajtodipteritsfaber), and this species is 

 known as the 'fair-maid.' 



Tiie scup is one of the most abumlant of the cast-coast fishes in the summer, and 

 occurs along the entire coast south of Cape Cod ; specimens have indeetl been found 



Fig. 124. — Stenotomus chnjtiops^ scup, scuppaug, porgie. 



north of the cape, but veiy rarely, and it is even claimed that they are tlie survi- 

 vors of fi.shes let loose in Boston harbor in 1831 or 1832. A portion of a sniaek-load 

 of live fish, it is said, was purchased at that time, " by subscription among the fisher- 

 men in the market, and thi'own into the harbor." On reviewing the evidence recently. 

 Professor Goode concluded that, judging from the rare occurrence of the species thus 

 introduced, it can hardly be considered to have become naturalized; the few which 

 have been taken were doubtless summer sti-agglers. 



The scuj) may appear on the New England coast even as early as the middle of 

 April, but it becomes most abundant towards the first of June, and arrives in succes- 

 sive detaciimcnts or runs, differing in size, the .smallest fish coining last. The first 

 i-un on the southern coast of New England " takes place about the beginning of ]\Iay, 

 and consists of large breeding fish, weighing from two to four ])ounds, and measuring 

 u]) to eighteen inches or more in length. The spawn is <|uitc well developed at that 

 time, and is said to be at first red, but gradually to become light yellow as it 



