HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 161 



Indians of that island in 1763 and 1764, with such mortality that, of 358, the whole 

 number, 222 died. He adds : "Before this period, and from the first coming of 

 the English to Nantucket, a large fat fish, called a blue-fish, twenty of which would 

 fill a barrel, was caught in great plenty all round the island, from the 1st of the 6th 

 till the middle of the 9th month. But it is remarkable that in the year 1764, the 

 very year in which the sickness ended, they all disappeared, and that none have been 

 taken since." Occasionally, for the last thirty years, a few straggling specimens, very 

 small, have been taken, but they were rarely seen until within the last fifteen years. 

 During this latter period, they have gradually increased in numbers, and, generally speak- 

 ing, have been of much larger size than when they were first observed. Now they visit 

 the coast south of the Cape, at Buzzard's Bay, the Vineyard Sound, and Nantucket, in 

 large numbers ; and also Massachusetts Bay as far as Boston, from the wharves of which 

 city I have observed specimens to be taken yearly since September, 1844. This species 

 occasionally weighs fourteen pounds. In its flavor it resembles the mackerel, and is high- 

 ly esteemed by many as an article of food ; but it is excessively fat, and cannot always 

 be borne by the stomach. In the early part of summer it is very lean ; towards the 

 latter part of summer and the commencement of autumn, it is in a state of perfection 

 for the epicure. Its food is herring and mackerel, and when it appears these fisheries 

 are destroyed. Thus, in March, 1846, the herring fishery on the south side of Falmouth 

 was spoiled by the ravages of this species. On the night of the 27th of June, 1847, 

 Captain Atwood caught in his mackerel-nets two large blue-fish. He fished but two 

 nights more that season; the blue-fish had driven the mackerel entirely from the 

 coast. From that time until now, 1853, the mackerel fishery at Provincetown has been 

 ruined. It is usually caught from the shore at Nantucket by throwing a drail, 

 a hook fixed into a piece of bone or ivory, and sometimes pewter, somewhat in the form 

 of a fish, with brass wire around the line near it, to prevent its being bitten ofif by the 

 strong jaws of the fish. It is also caught from a boat under sail with a good breeze, the 

 line dragging behind ; and they have been taken with a seine. In a number of the 

 Nantucket Enquirer, July 8th, 1837,1 find the following: " A few days since, there 

 were caught at one haul, 241 blue-fish, 108 scuppaugs or poggies, 28 bass, and 19 shad, 

 in all 396 fish, weighing about half a ton." 



Maine, H. R. STOKER. Massachusetts, STORER. Connecticut, AYRES, LINSLEY. 

 New York, MITCHILL, DEKAY. South Carolina, LIN., Cuv. 



GENUS XII. EHOMBUS, LACEP. 

 Head and body compressed. Body covered with minute scales. Extremity of the 



VOL. V. NEW SERIES. 23 



