ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



967 



TEETH OF TOt'TOG 



They are adapted for crushing shells, barnacles, etc. 



Natural size. 



as though they were about ready to fall out 

 with Rigg's disease or some other dental mal- 

 ady, but as a matter of fact they are anchylosed 

 to the jaw so firmly that they are strong enough 

 to bite barnacles from the rocks and crush the 

 shells of molluscs, crabs and other ordinarily 

 well protected sea animals. There is a separate 

 set of teeth farther back on the gill arches, 

 known as the pharyngeal teeth, which further 

 macerate the food before it is swallowed. 



The blacktish has a somewhat bull-headed ap- 

 pearance and this does not belie his character, 

 for every angler is well aware that determina- 

 tion is his principal asset and also that his 

 large head contains a fair amount of brains. 

 The blackfish does not strike like many other 

 fishes when taking the bait, because the natural 

 feeding habits are such that he first nibbles the 

 food before attempting to swallow it. So, in 

 fishing for the tautog, it is well to give him his 

 own time. When, however, he starts to run 

 it is well to bring him up with a turn for when 

 he finds himself hooked, he immediately starts 

 for the bottom with the intention of going all 

 the way. If given the opportunity he will very 

 shortly find some means of taking a half hitch 

 in the line around a rock or other projection, 

 or about seaweed, with the result that the angler 

 loses both his leader and his fish. Some fishes 

 are willing to give the angler a fair fight in the 

 open, but not so with the tautog. He con- 

 siders discretion the sum total of valor and he 

 is almost as wise as he is determined. Many 



an old blackfish has finally been captured bear- 

 ing a series of hooks embedded in his jaws as 

 evidence of the number of times he has managed 

 to escape the unenviable fate of occupying a 

 position in the frying-pan. 



The blackfish reaches a considerable size; 

 specimens three feet long and weighing nearly 

 twenty-five pounds have been recorded, but or- 

 dinarily fish weighing six or eight pounds are 

 considered large. It is an excellent food fish, 

 its flesh being firm and white and of good flavor. 



In this vicinity the eggs are laid in the lat- 

 ter part of April. They are very minute, only 

 one twenty-sixth of an inch in diameter, and 

 they float at the surface separately. In the 

 spawning season the female is said to go into 

 shallow water six or eight feet in depth close- 

 ly attended by numbers of males who swim 

 slowly round her at the surface, often with por- 

 tions of the body projecting above the water. 

 The eggs hatch out very quickly. At a tempera- 

 ture of 71 degrees only two or three days are 

 required for hatching. In colder water a longer 

 period is required. The young fish is trans- 

 parent except for the pigment of the eyes and is 

 only one-twelfth of an inch in length. Though 

 hatched at the surface they soon make their way 

 to the bottom, where they spend the remainder 

 of their lives. Ordinarily they are quiescent 

 in habit and swim but little, though they can 

 be active enough on occasion. They may often 

 be seen lying on the bottom partially turned 

 over on one side as though enjoying a siesta. 

 It is essentially a bottom fish and no doubt its 

 mottled, irregular coloration affords it some 

 protection in its natural habitat. They find 

 good hiding places in and about sunken wrecks 

 and piles. Mr. W. I. DeNyse of the Aquarium 

 staff informs me that some years ago the wreck 

 of a tugboat was raised from the bottom of 

 Gravesend Bay in early March and when placed 

 in dry-dock three barrels of blackfish in the 

 hibernating condition were taken from crevices 

 in the hulk. Like many hibernating animals, 

 the eyes at this period are covered by a thick 

 film of mucus which renders them blind. The 

 film is shed or dissolved with the rising tempera- 

 ture of the water in spring. Mr. DeNyse 

 also states that young tautog are frequently 

 found hibernating between the valves of dead 

 ovster and clam shells and in the cribbing of 



