448 ^'EW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



a distance of half a mile, I saw 51 round herring lying on the 

 beach, having been chased in a short time previously by bluefish. 

 When the fishermen find the round herring on the shore, they 

 Icnow that bluefish are present. Small bluefish were caught in 

 a trap at Islip Oct. 1, 1800. In the summer of 1808 young blue- 

 fish were abundant in all the waters visited in Peconic bay and 

 Great South bay and were taken as late as October 16. 



During the warm season they often run up the rivers, the 

 young, called snappers, frequently into nearly fresh waters. 

 (After Eugene Smith^) 



The bluefish is so active in its movements that it is difficult to 

 keep it in captivity. As with the species of C a r a n x and 

 S e r i o 1 a . however, its longevity depends on range and tem- 

 perature; iu a large body of water, not co'.der than G0 in winter, 

 it can be maintained easil}'. 



Family pjACHveENTRiDAE 



Sergeant Fishes 

 Genus rachycentroiv Kaup 

 Body elongate, fusiform, subcylindric, covered with very small, 

 smooth, adherent scales; lateral line nearly parallel with the 

 back; head rather broad, low, pikelike, the bones above appear- 

 ing through the thin skin; mouth rather wide, nearly horizontal, 

 the maxillary about reaching front of eye; both jaws, VvOmer, 

 palatines and tongue with bands of short, sharp teeth, lower jaw 

 longest; premaxillaries not protractile; preopercle unarmed; 

 first dorsal represented by about eight low, stout, equal, free 

 spines, each depressible iu a groove; soft dorsal long and rather 

 low. somewhat falcate, similar to and nearly opposite anal; two 

 weak ;iii;il sitiiirs, one of tlicni free from the fin; pectorals mod- 

 erate, ]lacc(l low; ventrals thoracic, I, 5; caudal fin strong, 

 forkf'<l. (Ill a moderate peduncle; no caudal keel; no finlets; gill 

 lakcrs latlioi- sliort, stout ; no air bladder; branchiostegals seven; 

 pyloric caeca liraiiclicd ; vertebrae 12+13=25. Probably only one 

 si)ecies; a large, strong, voracious shore fish, found in all warm 

 ^eas. lis rclarMiiis aic wiili iht> scombroid fishes, though not 



'Llun. Soc. N. Y. Proc. 1S07. uo. 9, p. 32. 



