42 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Other specimens, opened at various times, show that this fish is a very 

 general feeder, eating all kinds of small Crustacea, Annelids, bivalve 

 and univalve mollusks, &c. 

 Centropristis fuscus. Black Bass ; Sea Bass. 



Specimens caught in Vineyard Sound, June 10, contained the common 

 crab, Cancer irroratus; the mud-crab, Panopeus Sayi; three species of 

 fishes. 



Another, caught May 25, contained a squid, Loligo pallida. 



July 27.— Ten specimens were opened and found to contain scup 

 (Stenotomus argyrops) and squeteague (Cynoscion regalis). 



September 5. — One specimen contained two butterfish (Poronotus tria. 

 cantlius) and twochogsets (Tautogolabrus adspersus). 

 Roccus lineatus Gill. Striped Bass ; Bockfish, or " Bock." 



At Great Egg Harbor, New Jersey, April, 1871, several specimens, 

 freshly caught in seines, with menhaden, &c, contained Crangon vul- 

 garis (shrimp) in large quantities. 



A specimen caught at Wood's Holl, July 22, 1872, contained a large 

 mass of "sea-cabbage," Viva latissima, and the remains of a small 

 fish. 



Specimens taken at Wood's Holl, August, 1871, contained crabs, Can- 

 cer irroratus; and lobsters, Homarus americanus. 

 Morone americana Gill. White Perch. 



Numerous specimens caught with the preceding at Great Egg Har- 

 bor, New Jersey, contained Crangon vulgaris. 

 Pomatomus saltatrix Gill. Bluefish ; Horse-mackerel. 



Specimens caught at Wood's Holl, in August, frequently contained 

 squids, Loligo Pealii; also various fishes. 



Off Eire Island, Long Island, August, 1870, Mr. S. I. Smith saw blue- 

 fishes feeding eagerly on the .free-swimming males (heteronereis) of 

 Nereis limbata, (p. 318,) which was then very abundant. 

 Fundulus pisculentus Cuv. & Yal. Minnow. 



Specimens caught in July, at Wood's Holl, contained large numbers 

 of Melampus bidentatus, unmixed with other food. 

 Clupea elongata LeS. Sea Herring. . 



Specimens taken in Vineyard Sound, May 20, contained several 

 shrimp, Crangon vulgaris, about 1.5 inches long; Mysis americana, and 

 large numbers of an Amphipod, Gammarus natator; also small fishes. 



At Eastport, Me., and Grand Manan, the principal, if not the only^ 

 food of the herring in summer is a species of Thysanopoda, and one or 

 two species of Mysis. These species are associated together, and move 

 in large schools ; they are known among the fishermen as shrimp. The 

 food of the herring caught out in the bay by means of seines, and of 

 those trapped in the weirs in the harbor, was of the same character for 

 both. A. E. Verrill, 1871. 



