172 THE WEAK-FISH. 



swimming bladder is convertible to good glue. I have eaten 

 as fine blanc-mange from it as from the isinglass of the stur- 

 geon. He is a fish of goodly appearance ; and is wholesome 

 and well-tasted, though rather soft: is brought to market in 

 great abundance during the summer months. He is taken 

 by the line and the seine. He is called weak-fish, as some 

 say, because he does not pull very much after he is hooked;* 

 or as others allege, because the laboring men who are fed 

 upon him are weak by reason of the deficient nourishment 

 in that kind of food. Certain peculiar noises under water, of 

 a low rumbling or drumming kind, are ascribed by the fisher- 

 men to the squeteague. Whether the sounds come from 

 these fishes or' not, it is certain that during their season, they 

 may be heard coming from the bottom of the water; and in 

 places frequented by weak-fish, and not in other places; and 

 when the weak-fish depart, the sounds are no more heard. 



"A beautiful variety of this fish is sometimes seen, with 

 the following characters, to wit : 



"Spotted Squeteague (Lab. Sq. maculatus). There are 

 black, well defined spots among the specks over the back 

 and sides, and checkering the caudal and second dorsal fins. 

 The pectoral fins are rather small: ventral and anal fins not 

 yellow but brownish. The parts thus variegated with spots 

 have a pretty appearance." 



They bite freely at the shrimp and shedder crab, and will 

 often take clam bait as readily. In the vicinity of New- York 

 they are found in the greatest abundance in the bay off Com- 

 munipaw, Oyster Islands, Buckwheat Island, below Eliza- 

 bethtown Point, at Buttermilk Channel, the Owl's Head, 

 Gowanus Bay, and Manhattanville; and although they ac- 



* This is a great mistake ; the squeteague, considering the weakness 

 or softness of the inner part of his mouth, is a fair pulling fish ; and 

 when they are hooked of a good size, are known to give nearly as much 

 sport as the more favored rock. 



