98 



FISHES OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 



XVII. THE FROG FISHES, ETC. 

 (Pediculati) 



This is the final group of fishes dealt with and contains only three 

 species. The Angler, sometimes called "Toadfish," is common in deep 

 water off shore and occurs coastwise during the colder months. This 

 fish has a tremendous mouth with many pointed, dangerous looking 

 teeth in its jaws, the lower jaw being the longer. Its head is very large 

 and broad and on top of the head are two or three erectile spiny rays 

 with small membranous tags at their tips, which are said to be used to 

 lure small fishes within reach of the great mouth. Anglers are tadpole- 

 shaped and sluggish but extremely voracious. Small diving birds have 

 been taken from their stomachs whole. 



ANGLER (skeleton) 



The Mousefish is a small species of peculiar form. Not only are its 

 pectoral fins excerted from the body so as to give the impression of legs, 

 but it is covered with many irregular flap appendages, which, added to 

 its mottled black, white and yellow color, render it almost invisible 

 among the drifting sargassum or gulf weed which is practically the only 

 place in which it is found. As New York is situated back from the Gulf 

 Stream in a long reentrance in the coast line, the Mousefish is a very rare 

 straggler here although it has been recorded. 



The Batfish is a very peculiar flattened bottom species with a hard 

 outer surface covered with small rough nodules. Except for the elongate 

 tail portion which extends backward, it is roughly triangular in form, the 

 apex of the triangle being at the snout, which is prolonged in a pointed 

 process well beyond the body contour. At the outer angles of the tri- 

 angle are two stout protrusions from the body contour on which the 



