PISHES OF NEW YORK 685 



shorter in the young; the first dorsal originates over the ven- 

 trals, its longest spine is equal in length to the distance from 

 tip of snout to posterior margin of orbit; the' second dorsal 

 rays are slightly longer; anal base shorter than either dorsal 

 base, equal to base of first six rays of second dorsal; caudal 

 emarginate; v6ntrals as long as head. D. II-V^ 8; A. 6. 



Color of varying shades of greenish, olive, and reddish brown 

 on upper parts of body, paler underneath; irregular markings 

 of dusky and vermilion, varying to salmon yellow; pectorals 

 with bright blue streaks near base, and blue spots and bars 

 toward the tip, their under sides glaucous blue edged with 

 darker; three brownish red bars on caudal fin. 



The flying gurnard is found in the Atlantic ocean on both 

 coasts. It is very abundant on our south Atlantic coast and 

 in the Gulf of Mexico. It ranges as far north as Cape Cod. 

 Several specimens were obtained in Great Egg Harbor bay in 

 August and September 1887. Their lengths were respectively 

 2J, 64 and 7 ro inches. In Gravesend bay, L. I., this is an uncom- 

 mon species. An individual was taken there Oct. 30, 1897. Dr 

 Smith says that a few are taken every year late in the fall in 

 the vicinity of Woods Hole Mass. They sometimes come ashore 

 in Buzzards bay and Vineyard sound, benumbed by cold. They 

 are not so abundant now as they were prior to 1887. Mitchill 

 described and figured the fish in 1815 under the name P o 1 y n e - 

 mus sexradiatus. 



De Kay calls it the sea swallow and has the following notes 

 on it: 



Dr Mitchill, in his memoir on the Fishes of New York in 1814 

 (1815), gave a good figure of this species; and in his supplement 

 to this memoir in the American Monthly Magazine in 1818 fur- 

 nished a detailed description which sufficiently establishes its 

 identity with D. v o 1 i t a n s . . . The subject of our examina- 

 tion was caught in a net in the harbor in the month of August. 

 If our species be identical with that of Europe, it has a wide 

 geographical distribution. On the American coast it ranges 

 from Brazil to Newfoundland. By means of its immense pec- 

 torals, it is enabled to spring from the ocean and support itself 

 for some time in the air. This is often done to protect itself 

 from its enemies. It feeds on various small Crustacea. 



