458 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Stromateus cryptosus MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y. I, 365, pi. I, 



fig. 3, 1815. New York Bay. 

 Rhombus friacanthus DE KAY, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 137, pi. 26, fig. 80, 1842; 



STORER, Hist. Fish. Mass. pi. XV, fig. 4, 1867; JORDAN & EVERMANN, 



Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus. 967, 1896, pi. CL, fig. 405, 1900; BEAN, Bull. 



Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. IX, 363, 1897; SMITH, Bull. U. S. F. C. XVII, 99, 



1898; BEAN, 52d Ann. Kept. N. Y. State Mus. 104, 1900. 

 Poronotus triacanthus GOODE & BEAN, Bull. Essex Inst. XI, 16, 1879; BEAN, 



Bull. TJ. S. F. C. VII, 140, 1888; 19th Rep. Comm. Fish. N. Y. 257, 



pi. XI, fig. 14, 1890. 



Body oval, much compressed. The depth is contained two 

 and one third times in the length. Dorsal and ventral outlines 

 about equally curved. The length of the head is contained four 

 times in that of the body. Snout very blunt, rounded in profile; 

 mouth small, the maxillary not reaching the orbit; caudal 

 peduncle very short; anterior rays of dorsal and anal little ele- 

 vated; lateral line high, a series of conspicuous pores above it 

 near the base of the dorsal; pectorals much longer than head; 

 gill rakers rather long, two thirds the diameter of -the eye, 

 which is four in head. Length 10 inches. D. Ill, 45; A. Ill, 38. 

 Bluish above, below silvery. Maine to Cape Hatteras; very 

 abundant. 



This is known as the dollarfish, harvestfish and lafayette. 

 Mitchill called it the cryptous broad shiner, and De Kay described 

 it under the name short-finned harvestfish. About Cape Cod it 

 is the sheepshead and skipjack. In Connecticut it is called 

 pumpkin seed and at Norfolk starfish. 



The butterfish ranges from Maine to South Carolina, and is 

 gradually replaced southward by the long-finned harvestfish, 

 Rhombus paru. It is a summer visitor, associated with 

 the mackerel. De Kay records it in New York bay July 1, and 

 obtained it from fyke nets in New York harbor as late as Octo 

 ber 12. We seined young examples at Blue Point Lifesaving 

 station October 7, and others were secured 1 September 30 at Oak 

 Island beach. It is taken chiefly in pound nets, and has recently 

 become a highly prized market fish. A few years ago it was 

 little esteemed. The young are to be found in the summer 

 months swimming at the surface in sheltered bays and fre- 



