598 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



head. Anal base coterminous with the dorsal base, two thirds^ 

 as long as the head, the spines rather long, stout, and gradu- 

 ated, the first a little longer than the eye, the third twice as long- 

 as the eye; the third and fourth rays longest, as long as post- 

 orbital part of head. Pectoral large, as long as the head with- 

 out the snout, reaching to below the 10th spine of the dorsaL. 

 Ventral one half as long as the head, reaching to below the 

 12th spine of the dorsal. D. XVI to XVII, 10; A. Ill, 8; V. 

 I, 5; P. I, 15. Scales 14-60 to 65-29. 



Color blackish, greenish, frequently pale bluish or bluish 

 black with metallic reflections. Often with irregular bands of 

 a deeper hue. Lips, lower jaws and abdomen lighter, sometimes 

 pale, sprinkled with black points, and sometimes of the same 

 color as the rest of the body. Eye greenish. 



This is/ better known in New York as the blackflsh; farther 

 south it is styled chub or salt-water chub, Moll, Will George 

 and oyster fish. Mitchill gives the name tautog as of Mohegan 

 origin. He publishes for the species the names toad, blackfisb 

 and runner. The Mohegan name tautog, according to De Kay, 

 is said to mean black. The fish is found from Nova Scotia to 

 Virginia. It occurs in all parts of Great South bay visited by 

 us. Some of the localities at which it was taken are the fol- 

 lowing: Blue Point cove and Lifesaving station, Great River 

 beach and Fire Island. The name used at Patchogue is black- 

 fish. We saw a few tautog among the fishes caught in a trap 

 at Islip, October 1, 1890. In 1898 specimens were obtained in 

 Peconic bay, at Blue Point cove, Islip, Nichols's Point and Fire 

 Island inlet; young individuals were taken July 29, August 25, 

 September 1 and 16. Following is a list of localities in which 

 the tautog was sparingly taken in Great South bay in 1901 : 



Clam Pond cove July 19 



Fire Island inlet August 15 



Cherry Grove August 17 



Smith's Point August 23 



Mouth Swan river September 5 



Off Widow's creek (young) September 28- 



Off Swan river (young) October 7 and 11 



