HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. G9 



A provisional classification, by habits, of the fishes of our eastern coast 

 might stand somewhat as follows : 



I. Wandermg or surface fishes. — These remain in our waters only for a 

 short time, their movements being capricious or accidentally directed 

 by the ocean currents, or else in search of food. Thej' do not spawn on 

 our coast, and their young are never seen in our waters. 



The best-known examples are the sword-fish {XipJiias gladius), the 

 spear-fish {Tctrapturus albidus), the bonito [Pelamys sarda), the tunny 

 {Orcynus tJiynnus), the dwarf tunny {Orcynus alliieratus), the ceroes and 

 Spanish mackerel {Cyhium maculatunij G.cahalla, and C. regale), the rud- 

 der-fishes {Seriola zonata, Naucrates ductor, and Palinurichthys perci- 

 formis), the dolphins {CorypJiaina, two or three species), the remoras 

 [Echcneididcc], the barracuda {Sphyrwna borealis), the lady-fish {Albula 

 vulpcs), the tarpum {Megalops thrissoidcs), the oceanic sharks, such as 

 Galcocerdo tlgrinus, and the numerous waifs from the West Indian fauna. 



Of these only the sword-fish, bonito, and the ceroes and Spanish mack- 

 erel are of economic importance at present. 



II. Local or bottom fishes. — These remain in our waters throughout the 

 year, their movements being chiefly to and from the shores, though many 

 of the species mov^e for long distances up and down the coast. They 

 prefer a somewhat uniform temperature, which they secure by going into 

 the shallows in summer and deeps in winter in the northern districts of 

 their distribution, while in their southern districts of distribution these 

 movements are reversed. They spawn on our coast, usually in shallow 

 water and during their shoreward sojourn. 



The principal representatives of this group are the goose-fish {Lophius 

 piscatoriiis), the flounders and flat fishes, the halibut {Rippoglossus vul- 

 garis), of whose spawning habits little, however, is known, the lump-fish 

 {Cyclopierus lumpus), and the two species of Liparis, the cod {Gadus 

 morrhua), haddock {Melanogrammus wglcfinus), pollock {FollacMus car- 

 bonarius), and the hakes {Phycis chuss and P. Americanus), the gurnards 

 and sculpins {Prionotus, sp. and Coitus, sp.), the rose-fishes {Sebastes, sp.), 

 the tautog {Tautoga onitis), and the chogset {Ctenolabrus chogset), the 

 skates, the rays, and the ground-sharks. 



III. The coast or ranging fishes. — These are in our coast waters for a 

 portion of the year, and when absent from them are supposed to retreat 

 to the depths of the ocean. When near the shores their movements are 

 a combination of those of the two previous classes, and they wander 

 widely up and down the coast. They spawn upon our continental slope, 

 some entering the rivers, some upon tbe inshore shallows, and some 

 upon tbe off shore shoals, their young coming to the shores with the par- 

 ents. They all are summer visitors in the northern districts of their 

 distribution, though some, like the herring, only appear in New Eng- 

 land in the winter. 



The best-known examples of this group are, among the river-spawn- 

 ing or anadromous species, the salmon {Salnio salar), the shad [Alosa sap- 



