Till: 15LEXNY FAMILY. 251 



violaceus, and Ileterostichu* rotitratus, often selling as "eels," at thirty ceiits per pouud. In 

 -cm Tal these (islics .in-, from an economic point of view, entirely insignificant, ami probably not a 

 hundred pounds a year of t hem are sold on the whole coast. The Lumpenm anguillari* is often 

 taken in large numbers in the seines, but a prejudice seems to exist against it and no one will eat it. 

 The following is a list of the Bleunioid fishes: Lumpenux anguillaris (Pallas) Gill, from Cape 

 Meiidocino northward; abundant. Apodichthyg violnceus (Ayres) Grd.; Xiphister rupestris Jor. & 

 Gilb.: Xipkutter mucomu (Urd.) Jor.; Xiphutter chirus Jor. &Gilb.; Apr -oplarchus at 'ropurpureus (Kitt- 

 lit/) Gill; Apodichthys Jlaridus Gnl.; Apodichthyn fucorum Jor. & Gilb.; all these living among 

 rocks and ranging from Monterey to Alaska; Mnranurides ornatus Girard, from Cape Mendocino 

 noi tli ward; Gremnobates integripinnis Rosa Smith; Qibbontria elegans Cooper, and Hypleurochilu* 

 tilix (Girard) Gill, among rocks, chiefly from Point Coucepciou southward; and finally Neochnw 

 Grd., Keoclinus Blanchardi Girard, and Heterostichus rostratus Girard, living in the kelp 

 along the shore from Monterey to Lower California. 



78. THE TOAD-FISH BATRACHUS TAU. 



The Toad-fish, Batrnchus tax, called also on the coast of New Jersey and in some parts of the 

 Southern States "Oyster-fish," is one of the most repulsive looking fishes upon our coast, with its 

 dark, slimy, almost shapeless body and its mud- wallowing habits. In general appearance it resem- 

 bles a sculpin without prominent spines upon its head or upon its fins. Although it is armed 

 with by no means insignificant spines, which are capable of inflicting serious cuts, when touched 

 they show no disposition to bite, but erect their opercular spines in a very threatening manner; 

 these are so covered by the lax skin that they can scarcely be seen. 1 



Species of this family inhabit the roasts of nearly all the tropical and temperate regions of the 

 world. The American species was the first brought to notice, specimens having been sent about 

 1701 from South Carolina by Dr. Garden to Linnaeus, by whom it was described under the name 

 Umlii* tau, the great Swedish naturalist considering it to be a kind of codfish. The name which 

 he gave it refers to a character not discernible except in dried specimens, the bones of the upper 

 surface of the scale forming a group of ridges which leseinble in shape the Greek letter T. 



Our species is found in shallow waters from Cape Cod south at least its far as to the mouth of 

 tht Mississippi Eiver. In the Gulf of Mexico, however, it is found in deep water, and many large 

 ones are token on the snapper grounds at a considerable distance from shore. In the South it 

 would appear to be somewhat more active in its habits, though frequently found on the oyster- 

 beds, hiding between the valves of empty oyster-shells. 



There are at least three distinct forms : (1) The northern variety, rarely exceeding ten, twelve, 

 and even fifteen inches in length, the general color of which is brown coarsely marbled with darker 

 marks. (2) The southern variety of Giiuther, which is found on the Florida Keys and in the Gulf, 

 though often associated with the northern variety, which is similar in color to this, but has the 

 body and the fins dotted and spotted with white. (3) A form found only in the Gulf, Batrachu* 

 piintus, which is much larger and of , light-yellow color spotted and blotched with brown. This 

 form is known to the fishermen as the " Sarpo" and the "Sea-robin," the former name being doubt- 

 less a corruption of the Spanish word sapo, meaning toad. This form is said by Mr. Stearns fre- 

 quently to attain the length of eighteen inches. The color of these fish usually corresponds very 



'A closely related form, Thal<uiophry*e maculota, which occurs on tho Atl.intic side of the isthmus of Pauamo, 

 baa true poisoning glands at the base of its opercnlar spines, by means of which it can inflict injurious wounds; this 

 being almost the only fish which possesses weapons of this character. 



