EASTERN ' COAST FISHES. 249 



THE SERRANID^. 



Sea Bass,— Black sea bass, (New York) ; black perch, (Mass.) ; blackfish, (New 

 Jersey) ; bluefish, (Newport) ■ black harry ; purmalids, (New York, De 

 Kay) ; black will, (eastern shore of Virginia). — Centropristis atrarius,— Bam. 



Color bluish black in the males, and dingy brown in the fe- 

 males. They are found inshore on reefs and mussel-beds, and are 

 usually caught in company with the blackfish, though at certain 

 seasons they are quite abundant on shoals and banks along our 

 northern and eastern coasts. They vary in size from three-fourths 

 of a pound to twelve, and are considered fine for boiling and for 

 chowders. 



Although the sea bass is a bottom fish, yet once on an outward- 

 bound voyage to the southward of the Gulf Stream, we made fast 

 to a ship's lower mast found adrift on the surface, which was cov- 

 ered with clam barnacles and surrounded with sea bass. We 

 caught all that we wanted, and cut loose. They weighed from 

 five to twelve pounds each, and were all male fish. The mouth 

 of the sea bass is so large that in hauling them in from a depth 

 of several fathoms the " sport " is reduced to a minimum by the 

 time they reach the surface, the process almost drowning them. 

 They are caught as far south as Florida, where two species are 

 found, C. atrarius, and C. trifurca. The latter is a beautiful fish 

 of a grey color, bronze head and blue and yellow fins. The fila- 

 ments of the spines are red. 



Twenty miles off Cape May is a comparatively shallow portion 

 of the sea known as the " Fishing Banks." At all times during 

 the summer and early fall, when weather permits, schooners may be 

 seen anchored there. These fish are all taken with hook and line, 

 and average only one pound in weight. Numerous lines contain- 

 ing two or three hooks each are thrown from every boat, and the 

 occupants are generally kept busy taking off the fish and baiting 

 the hooks. They will take almost any kind of bait. 



Although these fish have never been regarded as game fish, 

 and are usually angled for with hand lines, they nevertheless af- 

 ford good sport when rods are used. 



11' 



