APPENDIX. 



307 



LIST AND DESCRIPTION OF KINDS OF FISH. 



Abalone (Baliotis). — A mollusk found on the coast of California, 

 especially abundant in the neighborhood of San Diego. It is also 

 called "sea-ear," "ormer-shell," "ear-shell," etc. Different 

 species are known as red abalone, black abalone, and rough abalone. 

 The shells are largely sold for commercial purposes, many being 

 shipped to Europe. The flesh is salted and dried and used for food 

 by the Chinese. 



Albacore. — See Horse mackerel. 



Alewife (Pomolobus pseudoharengus .and P. xstivalis).— These 

 two species are generally known indiscriminately as alewives, and 

 are found in waters adjacent to the sea. P. pseudoharengus is never 

 found south of the Neuse River, in North Carolina. It is known 

 along the Potomac as "branch herring;" on the Albemarle as the 

 "big-eyed herring" and the "wall-eyed herring;" in New England 

 as "alewife," and on the Connecticut as "ellwife " and "ellwhop." 

 It appears in the rivers three or four weeks earlier than the "glut 

 herring" or the "shad." P. sestivalis is found from the Carolinas to 

 the Gulf of Maine. It is known in the Chesapeake and Albemarle 

 as "glut herring;" in the Ogeechee as "English herring;" in the 

 St. Johns as "herring," and in Massachusetts and during the later 

 runs in the Rappahannock as the "blueback;" also known as 

 "black-belly," "saw-belly," and "kyack." It is less abundant 

 than P. pseudoharengus, and much less valuable as a food fish. 

 Both species average about a half pound in weight and 8 to 10 

 inches in length. They are caught in nets, seines, weirs, etc., and 

 are of very great importance as food fish. They are also used for 

 bait. The name is also applied to the menhaden (Brevoortia 

 tyrannus) in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. 



Alfione (Rhacochilus toxotes). — A food fish found on the Cali- 

 fornia coast from Cape Mendocino to San Pedro. It is also called 

 "perch" and "sprat." It reaches a length of 18 inches and a, 

 weight of 5 pounds. It is the most important of the surf-fishes. 



Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) . — The alligator is found in 

 the streams and swamps of the Southern states, and more or less 

 numerously along the coast from South Carolina to Texas. It is also 

 called ' ' cayman . ' ' Alligators attain a length of 12 feet, and average 

 about 10 feet. They are captured for their hides, oil, ivory, flesh, 

 skeletons, and eggs. 



Amber-fish (Seriola). — A food fish found from Cape Cod to Cape 

 Hatteras. It is known as "jack-fish" on the Carolina coast, and 

 "amber-fish," "shark's pilot," and "rudder-fish" elsewhere. The 

 average length is 24 inches; average weight, 7 pounds. Another 

 species found on the California coast is known as " yellow-tail." 



Anchovy (Engraulididse). — These are small fishes of the genus 

 Anchovia common on the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Texas ; also 

 on the coast of southern California, and the genus Engraulis common 

 from Alaska to Lower California, The silver anchovy (Anchovia 

 browni) is the common Atlantic species. It is also known as "sar- 

 dine" and "spearing," and with other anchovies enters into the 

 composition of "white bait." The California anchovy (Engraulis 

 mordax) is the largest and most valuable food species. It is mostly 

 preserved in oil or made into fish paste. The name is also applied 

 to preparations of other fish, especially young herring and sprat. 



Angel-fish.— 1. A name applied to the moonfish, or spadefish 

 (Chaetodipterus faber), from Florida to Charleston. 2. Small, beau- 

 tifully tinted fish (Eolacanthus), found in tropical waters, especially 

 among coral reefs. They are sold for exhibition in aquaria and 

 also for *ood. 



Atka-fish (Pleurogrammus monopterygius) .—A fine food fish 

 found among the Aleutian Islands. The average weight is about 2 

 pounds and average length about 16 inches. Also known as "Atka 

 mackerel." 



Barracuda (Sphyroena argentea). — An excellent food fish caught 

 on the California coast from San Francisco southward. It reaches a 

 length of about 5 feet and a weight of about 12 pounds. It is caught 

 with hand lines and by trolling, and when dried and salted makes 



excellent food. The great barracuda (S. barracuda), also known as 

 "picuda" or "becuna," is found on our coast from Pensacola to 

 Charleston and is the largest of the genus, reaching a length of 6 feet. 

 Smaller species (S. borealis and S. guachaucho) are found as far north 

 as Cape Cod, but are not highly valued as food fish. 



Bass. — See Black bass, Calico bass, Redfish, Rock bass, Sea bass, 

 Striped bass, and White bass. 



The "yellow bass" or "brassy bass" (Morone interrupta) is found 

 throughout the lower course of the Mississippi; the "mud bass" 

 (Acantharchus pomotis) in the coastwise streams from New Jersey to 

 North Carolina; the "silver bass" (Hiodon tergisus) in the Ohio 

 Valley and northward to the upper Missouri. The ' ' Otsego bass " is 

 the whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) of Otsego Lake, New York; 

 the "little bass," the little roncador (Genyonemus lineatus) of San 

 Francisco. 



Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). — A whale abundant in the north 

 Atlantic, north Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. Specimens are occasion- 

 ally taken as far south as Cape Cod . It is also called ' ' white whale, ' ' 

 "whitefish," "porpoise," "dauphin blanc," "marsoon," etc. It 

 attains a length of 15 feet and is captured for its oil and skin. The 

 oil is sold under the name of "porpoise-jaw oil;" the skin is made 

 into leather. 



Big-eyed mackerel. — See Chub mackerel. 



Bill-fish. — A name applied to the gar-pike (Lepisosteus osseus), 

 to the garfish (Tylosurus marinus), and to the spearfish (Tetrapturus 

 imperator). 



Black bass (Micropterus salmoides and M. dolomieu). — These two 

 species are known, respectively, as "large-mouth black bass" and 

 "small-mouth black bass." The former is found generally in slug- 

 gish waters from Dakota to New York and south to Florida and 

 Mexico. It is known in the Great Lakes region as "Oswego bass," 

 in Indiana as "moss bass," in Kentucky as "jumper," in North 

 Carolina as ' ' chub '' and ' ' Welshman, ' ' and in the Southern states as 

 "trout," "green bass," and "bayou bass." The small-mouth bass 

 is generally found in clear running streams from Dakota to the St. 

 Lawrence, and south to South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas. 

 In the Southern states it is also called ' 'jumper, " " perch, " " trout, ' ' 

 "mountain trout," etc. Each species is from 1 to 2 J feet in length 

 and weighs from 2 to 8 pounds. They are caught with hook and 

 line and furnish a considerable quantity of excellent food. The 

 name is also applied to the black rockfish (Sebastodes mystinus and 

 S. melanops) in Puget Sound. 



Blackfin. — A whitefish (Leucichthys nigripinnis) found in Lake 

 Michigan; also called "bluefin." 



Blackfish (Olobicephalus melas). — An important and abundant 

 small whale found on the Atlantic coast as far south as New Jersey. 

 It is also called "pilot whale," "grind whale," etc. Its average 

 length is from 15 to 18 feet; average weight, 1,000 pounds. It is 

 captured by being stranded on the shore and by harpooning, and is 

 valuable for its oil. Fishermen sometimes use this whale for food 

 and bait. The name is also applied to the sea bass (Centropristes 

 striatus) south of Cape Hatteras and about Marthas Vineyard, and to 

 the tautog ( Tautoga onitis) on the coast of New York and New Jersey. 



Black horse (Cycleptus elongatus). — A sucker found in the 

 larger streams of the Mississippi Valley. It is also called "gourd- 

 seed sucker," " Missouri sucker, " "sweet sucker," and "suckerel." 

 It reaches a length of 2J feet and a weight of from 5 to 12 pounds. 

 A good food fish. 



Blenny (Blenniidx). — A fish of little economic value, found on 

 the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts, sometimes sold in the market 

 as "eels." 



Blinks. — One-year-old mackerel, graded fourth in the markets. 



Blister. — A very young oyster. 



Bloater. — A fat herring or mackerel. 



Blueback. — 1. An important salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) found 

 on the Pacific coast from the Columbia River northward. In the 



