UNUTfLTZED FISHES. 37 



under portions white. The average length of the adult is about 3 

 feet. The singular appearance and habits of the goosefish have 

 gained it numerous appellations. In Massachusetts the fishermen 

 know it by the names " goosefish," " angler," or " fishing frog." In 

 Maine it is the " monkfish," in Khode Island the " bellows-fish," in 

 eastern Connecticut the " molligut," and in South Carolina " all- 

 mouth." The early colonial writers refer to it as the " greedigut." 

 It is also known as the " wide-gap," " kettle-maw," and " sea devil." 

 The goosefish is fairly common on both the east and west shores of 

 the Atlantic. On the west coast it ranges from Ne^vfoundland to 

 Cape Hatteras, and on the east coast from the Shetland Islands to 

 the Mediterranean Sea. It is most abundant in the northern waters. 



REPRODUCTION. 



The spawning season begins about the middle of summer. During 

 July and August, 1905, at Menemsha Bight, great quantities of the 

 spawn were seen in and about the fish traps. Each batch was con- 

 tained in a great floating, jelly-like mass 20 or 30 feet long and 4 

 or 5 feet wide, which contained many thousands of eggs. The larval 

 fish develops from the egg very rapidly, and, according to Cunning- 

 ham (1896), when hatched is much more advanced in development 

 than are the young of most fishes with separate floating eggs. 



USES. 



Very little commercial use has ever been made of the goosefish. 

 It is rarely eaten by man, although the flesh is said to l)e palatable 

 and used in Italy and in certain parts of Great Britain. It is some- 

 times used for baiting lobster pots wdien other kinds of bait are not 

 available, and it has also been used with menhaden for guano. 



FOOD. 



The food and feeding habits of this enormously voracious fish form 

 a subject of considerable general interest. Its reputed manner of 

 capturing prey is very curious. Lying concealed in weed on the bot- 

 tom, it is said to hold erect its first dorsal spine, which is tipped with 

 the flag-like membrane. The " flag " serves as a lure to attract hun- 

 gry and unwary fishes, which come and nibble at the tender-looking 

 morsel ; but as soon as the " flag " is touched a cavern is opened and 

 the innocent fishes are engulfed between the jaws of the goosefish. 



Several observers have written briefly concerning the food of the 

 goosefish, and from a few of these I will quote. 



Verrill and Smith, 1873 : 



A specimen caught in Vineyard Sound in .June contained crabs, Cancer 

 irroratits, and squids, Loligo pcalii. 



