316 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



species (Dorosoma cepedianum). The menhaden is called "hard- 

 head shad " about Cape Ann, "bug shad " in Virginia, and "yellow- 

 tail shad" from North Carolina to Florida. 



SHARKS (Notidani). Numerous species of sharks are found on the 

 Atlantic and the Pacific coasts. They are sometimes called "dog- 

 fish," "angel-fish," "porbeagle," "swingle-tail," "bonnet-head," 

 "hammer-head," etc. They are captured with hook and line and 

 with harpoons; sometimes they are taken in nets set for other fish. 

 Sharks are valuable for their livers, from which oil is extracted; 

 their bodies are used mainly for fertilizing purposes. 



SHEEPSHEAD (Archosargus probatocephalus). A choice food fish 

 caught off the eastern coast of the United States from Cape Cod to 

 Texas. The weight varies from 2 to 12 pounds, according to locality ; 

 the average size is about 4 pounds. They are caught with hand lines, 

 seines, and nets, and by spearing. The name is also applied to the 

 butter-fish (Poronolus triacanthus) about Cape Cod, to the fresh- 

 water drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) in the Great Lakes, and to the 

 redfish (Pimelometopon pulcher) south of Point Conception, Cali- 

 fornia. 



SHEEPSWOOL. The highest grade of Florida commercial sponges. 



SHINER. A common name applied to the redfin (Notropu cornu- 

 tus) from New England to Kansas and Alabama; to the menhaden 

 (Brevoortia tyrannus) in southern Florida; to some of the surf -fishes 

 (Embiotocidx) on the Pacific coast; and to the sailor's choice (Lago- 

 don rhomboides) about Cedar Keys. The blunt-nosed shiner (Selene 

 vomer) is so called about New York and Narragansett Bay. The 

 golden shiner (Abramis chrysoleucus) is found in the rivers east of 

 the Great Plains. 



SHRIMP. A decapod crustacean found in large numbers on all 

 our coasts and in many inland waters. The usual length is about 2 

 inches, but some attain a larger size. They are caught in dip nets, 

 purse nets, etc., and are used for food and bait. Prawns are gener- 

 ally larger than shrimps, often attaining a length of 7 inches. 



SILVERFISH. See Tarpon. 



SILVER HAKE (Jferlucnus bilinearis). This fish is found on the 

 Atlantic coast north of Virginia. It is also called "New England 

 whiting." The average length is 1 foot. It is caught in weirs, nets, 

 and with hand lines, and is used for food and bait. 



SILVERSIDES (Atherinidx). A small food fish, found along the 

 Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Different species are known as "sand 

 smelt," "green smelt," "anchovy," "merit-fish," "sardine," 

 "California smelt," "little smelt," "brit," etc. They range from 

 7 to 18 inches in length and are caught in seines. 



SIRENIANS. Large marine mammals, more or less fishlike in form, 

 such as manatees, sea-cows, etc. ; found in warm seas. 



SISCOWET. See Lake trout. 



SKATE. See Ray. 



SKILFISH (Anoplopomafimbria). A common food fish from Una- 

 laska to Monterey. It is also known as "beshow," "coalfish," and 

 "black cod." 



SKIPJACK. A local name applied to the skipper (Scombresox 

 saurus) along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts; to the inland alewife 

 (Pomolobus- chrysochloris) in the Mississippi Valley from the Great 

 Lakes to the Gulf; to the bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) south "of 

 Cape Hatteras; to the bonito (Sarda chilensis) on the Pacific coast; 

 to the runner (Elagatis bipinnulatus) about Key West; to the butter- 

 fish (Poronotus triacanthus) about Cape Cod; to the cutlass-fish 

 (Trichiurus Upturns); to the jurel (Caranx chrysos) along the east 

 Florida coast; and to the leather jacket (Oligoplites saurus) on the 

 Atlantic coast. 



SKIP MACKEREL. A name applied to the bluefish about New York. 



SMELT (Osmerus mordax). A very choice food fish found on the 

 Atlantic coast from Virginia to the St. Lawrence and landlocked in 

 many New England lakes. Also called "American smelt" and 

 "frostfish." When sent to market unfrozen they are known as 

 "green" smelts. The average length is 8 to 10 inches. The Pacific 

 smelt (0. ihaleidithys) is found from San Francisco to Alaska. The 

 surf smelt ( Mesopus pretiosus} is found from Monterey to Alaska. 



The eulachon or candlefish ( Thaleichthys padficus) is an excellent 

 food fish found from the Columbia River to Skagway, where it is 

 called "smelt." Some of the silversides (Atherinidx) are wrongly 

 called "smelts;" this is especially true of Atherinopsis calif orniensis, 

 which is widely known as "smelt," "blue smelt," and "California 

 smelt." 



SMOLT. A name applied to an immature salmon when it has 

 become a uniform bright silvery color. 



SNAPPERS (Lutianidx). The red snapper (Lutianus aya) is the 

 most important of these fishes. It is a large fish, bright red in color, 

 and is found from Long Island southward, but is most abundant on 

 the coasts of Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf states. The gray snap- 

 per or mangrove snapper (L. griseus), also known in Florida as ' ' law- 

 yer," is a most common species. The mutton snapper (L. analis), 

 the dog snapper, or jocu (L. jocu), the schoolmaster, or cajr (L. 

 apodus), the silk snapper (L. vivanus), the lane snapper (L. synagris), 

 are all fishes of food value common in the West Indies and southern 

 Florida. 



The red grouper (Ephinephelus mono) is called "brown snapper" 

 and "red-bellied snapper" in Florida; the rosefish (Sebastes mar- 

 inus) is called "snapper" on the North Atlantic coast; the bluefish 

 (Pomatomus saltatrix) is called "snapper" and "blue snapper" on 

 the New England coast; and the cod that live near the shore away 

 from the ledges are called "black snappers." 



SOLE (Soleidss). The American sole, or hog-choker (Achirusfas- 

 datus) is common from Boston to Galveston. See Flounder. 



SPADEFISH. See Moonfish. 



SPANISH MACKEREL (Scomberomorus maculatus). A very choice 

 food fish found on the Atlantic coast south of Cape Cod and in the 

 eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico. The average length is about 20 

 inches; average weight about 3 pounds. In California the Monterey 

 Spanish mackerel (S. concolor) is a most excellent food fish. They 

 are caught on troll lines and in gill nets and pound nets. 



The cavalla (S. cavalla) is a West Indian species, but often taken 

 in small numbers on the southern New England coast. It is also 

 known as "kingfish." The name "cero" is often applied to the 

 Spanish mackerel. 



SPECKLED TROUT (Salvelinus fontinalis) . An excellent food fish 

 found in cold lakes and streams of the Atlantic watershed, in the 

 headwaters of the Mississippi, and in the Great Lakes region. It is 

 the American ' ' brook trout. ' ' The varieties differ much in size and 

 appearance in different regions. It is our gamiest fish, and is gener- 

 ally caught with hook and line. 



The rainbow trout (Salmo irideus) of California and the Dolly 

 Varden trout (Salvelinus malma) of the mountains are sometimes 

 known as "speckled trout." 



SPERM WHALE (Physeter macrocephalus). One of the most valu- 

 able of the whales; found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 

 It is also called "cachelot." The males reach a length of 70 feet, the 

 females much less. They are captured for their oil and spermaceti. 

 An intestinal substance called "ambergris " is also very valuable. 



SPONGE. The sponge of commerce is found off the Florida coast. 

 The grades generally rank sheepswool, yellow, velvet, grass, and 

 glove; but different men in the business grade them differently. 



SPOT (Leiostomus xanlhurus). A food fish found along the coast 

 from Cape Cod to Texas. It is called "goody" in New Jersey, 

 "roach" in the Chesapeake, "chub" at Charleston, S. C.,"masooka" 

 on the St. Johns, "chopa blanca" at Pensacola, "Lafayette", etc. 

 It is about 6 inches long, and is taken with hook and line and in gill 

 nets. 



SPRAT. 1. A local New England name for the young alewife. 

 2. See Alfione. 



SQUETEAOUE (Cynoseion regalis). An excellent food fish found in 

 abundance along the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Florida. It is 

 known as "drummer" about Cape Cod; "yellowfiu" about Buz- 

 zards Bay; "weakfish" in New York and New Jersey; "bluefish"in 

 Delaware and Virginia; "gray trout," "sun trout," "shad trout," 

 "sea tjout," and "salt-water trout" in the Middle and South Allan- 



