THE SEA FISHERIES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 53 



the traps and pounds. The white fish exhibit a very decided tendency 

 to enter the mouths of rivers on this occasion, especially in Lake Su- 

 perior and Hudson Bay. Detroit River is an especially favorite spawn- 

 ing-ground. Indeed, the whitefish might with eminent propriety be 

 classed among the anadromous fish of the fresh waters, like the land- 

 locked salmon, the blue-back trout of Rangeley Lake, &c. The spawn- 

 ing along the shores of lakes at all may be due to their being barred out 

 from the rivers by artificialor other obstructions. 



We may possibly place in this schedule the Capelin [Mallotus villo- 

 sus), which is exclusively northern, and the Tomcod, although the lat- 

 ter sometimes enters fresh water to spawu, and may almost be entitled 

 to a position in the first division, perhaps near the smelt. 



(4) Offshore fish. — Xot schooling at the surface ; usually spawning 

 in the deep seas, for the most part during the late autumn or winter, 

 though generally resorting to rocks and banks, and sometimes near the 

 shore for the purpose; never swimming at the surface, and their pres- 

 ence only to be determined by actual capture. During the winter they 

 range considerably farther south than in summer. Of these may be 

 mentioned the cod, the hake, the haddock, aud most other Gadidce 

 except the pollock. The pollock, belonging to the cod family, is more 

 of a surface fish, and is very often seen swimming or schooling near the 

 top of the water. In some respects the halibut belongs in this division. 



(5) Pelagic or wandering fish. — Usually surface swimmers, and for 

 the most part regular migrants in large bands or schools from north to 

 south in autumn and from south to north in spring; not at all regular, 

 however, in their movements, and sometimes, for one cause or another, 

 disappearing gradually or suddenly from a certain region, not to return 

 again until the lapse of many years. Some, as the herring, the blue- 

 fish, and the menhaden, are autumn and winter spawners ; the others 

 lay their eggs, as far as we know, in summer or spring. It is among 

 the fish of this group that we find, with the exception of the Gadidcc, 

 the most important of all the sea fish in the entire northern hemisj^here, 

 whether we consider the number of fish taken, their excellence and high 

 price, or the amount of capital and number of hands employed in their 

 capture. They belong almost exclusively to the Clupeidce (the herring- 

 family) or to the Scombridce (the mackerel family). Two species of the 

 former group, the shad and the ale wife, have been fully considered 

 under the first head, while no species of the second family belong else- 

 where. The principal species are the following : 



The Sea Herring. The Cero. 



The Menhaden or Pogy. The Bonito. 



The Common Mackerel. The Tunny or Horse Mackerel. 



The Chub Mackerel. The Swordfish. 



The Spanish Mackerel. The Bluefish. 



(6) Deep-sea fish. — We have already referred to this group under the 

 head of relationships. How far they can bo considered as migrants is 



