36 ~ UNUTILIZED FISHES. 



ESTIMATE OF DESTRUCTIVENESS. 



With such a small number of specimens as a basis, it is hardly 

 possible to estimate the economic importance of the toadfish so far 

 as its food is concerned. The table indicates, however, that it feeds 

 largely upon the hermit crab {Evpagurns lonr/warpus), which usu- 

 ally inhabits the shell of the snail {Liftorhia littorea) , so common 

 along our shores, and which it is impossible for the toadfish to sep- 

 arate from the shell. As many as 15 or 20 of these snail shells con- 

 taining hermit crabs have been recorded from the alimentary canal 

 of a single toadfish, and the shells Avere found throughout the whole 

 length of the intestinal tract, which makes it clear that they are 

 eliminated by way of the anus and not regurgitated, as popularW 

 supposed. Other crustaceans, as the rock crab {Caneep irroratus)^ 

 pocket crab {Panojyeus depressus), lady crab {Oralipes ocellatiis), 

 prawn {Palamonetes vulgaris), and Gehia^ enter largely into the food 

 supply of the toadfish. Small molluscs, like Crepidida and other 

 gasteropods, are also eaten. Small fishes are preyed upon to some 

 extent, and probably more so than is indicated in the table. Such 

 species as the common killifish, cunner, and silversides are most apt 

 to be the victims, since they frequent the places natural to the toad- 

 fish. The fact that five teleost eggs were found in a Hadley Harbor 

 specimen suggests that the toadfish may be destructive to the eggs 

 of fishes spawn in shoal places and in ponds connected with the sea. 



The statements of Verrill and Smith (1873) and of Linton (1899) 

 regarding the food of the toadfish compare very closely with the 

 results here found. The diet of the toadfish consists almost entirely 

 of crustaceans, small molluscs, and small fishes. The destruction 

 of hermit crabs, which are valuable scavengers, and fish spawn 

 is the principal damage done. The number of toad fish in the 

 "Woods Hole region. hoAvever, is so small that the harm done by them 

 in that locality can not be of any serious consequence. 



THE GOOSEFISH, OR ANGLER. 



PECULIAR APPEARANCE AND LOCAL NAMES. 



The goosefish (Lophius piscutorius) is well known to Atlantic 

 coast fishermen by its singularly ugly appearance. The body is flat 

 dorsoventrally and very broad across the head, from which it tapers 

 abruptly back to a short tail. The mouth is very wide, is surrounded 

 with a fringe of barbels, and has an enormous capacit3^ Each jaAv is 

 set with a double row of teeth, which are directed backward. The 

 dorsal fin. of six spines, has the first of these located on the snout just 

 behind the upper jaw and bears on the tip a flaglike membrane. In 

 color the goosefish is a mottled brown on the upper parts, with the 



