FISHES OF NEW YORK 559 



Spine in front of the dorsal; first dorsal spine as long as the eye; 

 third, and longest, dorsal spine as long as the head without the 

 snout; last dorsal spine nearly one third as long as head; soft 

 dorsal highest in the middle, its longest I'ay (sixth) equal to 

 snout. Caudal deeply forked, its middle rays two fifths as long 

 as the external, and equal to snout. First anal spine three 

 fourths as long as the eye; second and third about equal, two 

 sevenths as long as the head; soft rays rather short, the first and 

 second about as long as the snout. Pectoral long, reaching to 

 above the second ray of the anal. Ventral four fifths as long 

 as the head, reaching nearly to vent. J). XII, 12; A. Ill, 11; V. 

 I, 5; P. I, 15. Scales 8-50-16. 



Color silvery, with bright reflections, dusky above, upper part 

 of head deep brown; dorsal horn color, the last rays with a yel- 

 lowish tinge; axil of pectoral dusky; young with five or six dusky 

 bars; iris golden, mottled with silvery and brownish. Length, 

 about 1 foot. 



The scup is one of our best known fishes. In many places it 

 is better known under the name porgee. Mitchill and De Kay 

 described it as the big porgee. Another spelling for the same 

 name is pogy. Scup is an abbreviation of scuppaug, which in 

 turn is a shorter form for the Narragansett name, mishcuppauog. 

 The name fairmaid, which is said to be given to the scup on the 

 Virginia coast, does not rightfully belong to this species, but 

 rather to the sailor's choice (L a g o d o n). The name fairmaid 

 is regularly applied to the latter species at Cape Charles Va. 

 according to B. A. Bean. In Norfolk Va. Mr Bean heard the 

 name maiden for the young of the common scup. 



The scup seldom migrates north of Cape Cod, though it has 

 been taken occasionally off Cape Ann. Attempts to introduce 

 it into Massachusetts bay have been unsuccessful. 



The scup comes into our northern waters in great schools, the 

 large spawning fish coming first, making their appearance in 

 New York waters in May. The species feeds upon small crus- 

 taceans, mollusks and annelids, and is one of the readiest biters 

 along the coast. The fishery fluctuates greatly; in certain years 



