586 ' NEW YORK STATE MUSEIUM 



ray equal to snout and eye combined. Pectoral large, nearly as 

 long as the head, reaching past origin of soft dorsal. Ventral 

 one half as long as the head. Scales all ctenoid. D. X, I, 26 or 

 27; A. I, 8; scales 7-53-14. 



Co-or dusky gray above, sometimes blackish, the back and 

 sides with distinct dark oblique cross bands running downward 

 and forward, the anterior one at the nape extending downward, 

 meeting the second and thus forming a V-shaped blotch on each 

 side ; a dark lateral streak bounding the pale color of the belly, 

 most distinct posteriorly, and extending on lower lobe of caudal; 

 inside of gill cavity scarcely dusky; pectorals dark. 



The kingfish, according to De Kay, was so named by the early 

 English colonists because of its excellent flavor. The name hake 

 is given to it in New Jersey and Delaware ; in the Chesapeake it 

 is sometimes called black mullet; in North Carolina, the sea 

 mink; in the south it is the whiting or Bermuda whiting; on the 

 Connecticut coast it is known as the tomcod. 



The kingfish occurs northward to Cape Ann and south to the 

 Gulf of Mexico. Large individuals are not common as far north 

 as Cape Cod, but the young may be seen in moderate numbers in 

 the summer months. They occur in abundance throughout Great 

 South bay and near the inlet their number is increased. We have 

 collected them at the mouth of Swan creek, in Blue Point cove, 

 at the Blue Point Lifesaving station. Oak Island and Fire Island. 

 An individual was obtained October 7, in the bay, and others 

 were found during September. Adult kingfish used to be com- 

 mon in Great South bay, but in 1884 they were rare, according 

 to Mr Erastus Gordon, of Patchogue. In 1898 only one adult 

 was taken by the writer and that was found in Clam Pond cove, 

 August 26. Young were seined at Fire Island inlet, Nichols's 

 Point, Howell's Point, Blue Point cove, and in Peconic bay. In 

 1901, large kingfish were not uncommon in Great South bay, but 

 the young were unusually rare, only two specimens measuring 

 from 3 J to 4 inches having been obtained; these were seined at 

 Duncan's creek, September 14. 



The kingfish was formerly abundant in Gravesend bay, but it 

 seldom occurs there now. 



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