310 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



for the oil and leather they produce. 2. A pelagic fish (Coryphsena 

 hippurus) sometimes found on our coasts. 



Drum (Pogonias chromis) . — 1. A large food fish found plentifully 

 in the south Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico and occasionally 

 taken as far north as Cape Cod. The young and adult fish are 

 respectively known as "striped drum" and "black drum." The 

 average weight is 20 pounds . They are caught in seines and gill nets 

 and with hook and line. The flesh is coarse, but sweet and tender. 

 The large and silvery scales are used in the manufacture of "fish- 

 scale jewelry. " 2. The fresh- water drum {Aplodinotus grunniens) 

 is found in all large bodies of water from the Great Lakes to the Rio 

 Grande. It is known as the "sheepshead " on the Great Lakes; as 

 "perch," "white perch,"and "gray perch" on the Ohio River; as 

 "crocus" on the lakes of northern Indiana; as "drum" and "thun- 

 der-pumper" in the Southern states; and as "gaspergou" in 

 Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. "Jewel-head " is sometimes heard. 

 It reaches a length of 4 feet and a weight of from 40 to 60 pounds. It 

 is a food fish, but not of fine quality. 3. Redfish or red drum 

 (Scixnops ocellatus). 



Dun-fish. — Cod or other fish that are slack-salted and dried or 

 cured in a dark room until they turn an amber or dun color. They 

 are much esteemed for food. 



Eel (Anguilla chrisypa). — A very common food fish found in all 

 parts of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains in both fresh 

 and salt waters. Eels are caught in weirs, nets, traps, pots, baskets, 

 and with spears and hand lines, and are sold fresh and canned. The 

 skin is used for mechanical purposes. 



Eulachon ( Thaleichthys pacificus) . — A small fish common in the 

 rivers and coast waters of the north Pacific. The Indian name 

 "oolican'' (hoolakins) is often used. The trade name is "candle- 

 fish." On the Columbia River the name "smelt" is used. The 

 length averages a little less than 1 foot. It is an excellent food fish, 

 and is also of importance for the oil it yields, which is used as a sub- 

 stitute for cod-liver oil. 



Finback (Balxnoptera physalits). — This is a large whale common 

 to all seas. It attains a length of about 70 feet, and is captured by 

 stranding or by the use of the bomb lance. It yields very little oil 

 or baleen. Other species are found in the north Atlantic and on the 

 Pacific coast. 



Flatfish. — A name applied to a large group of fishes which have 

 the body much compressed, both eyes on one side of the head, the 

 blind side colorless and usually lowermost in the water. It is the 

 common name given to the family of flounders (Pleuronectidx) . 



Flounder {Pleuronectidx). — The family of flounders is composed 

 of the turbots (Bothinx), the halibuts (Hippoglossinx), the plaices 

 (Pleuronectinx), and probably the soles (Soleidx). The name is 

 variously applied to the flat fishes found on all our coasts, as "Amer- 

 ican sole," "bastard halibut," "Monterey halibut," "winter floun- 

 der," " starry flounder," "rough limanda," "diamond flounder," 

 "long-finned sole," "sand-dab," "rough dab," "Greenland turbot," 

 "pole flounder," "craig flounder,'' "spotted sand flounder," etc. 

 They are of all sizes and vary in shape; caught in weirs, pounds, 

 seines, and nets, and with hand lines and gaffs, and sold for food 

 and bait. 



Fur seal ( Collorhinus ursinus) . — A fur-bearing sea mammal found 

 from California northward; especially abundant upon the Pribilof 

 Islands. Its skin is of great commercial value. Its flesh is not 

 used for food except by the natives. 



Garfish (Tylosurus marinus). — A fish of little economic impor- 

 tance common on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Maine to Texas. 

 It often ascends rivers for great distances. It is also called ' ' needle- 

 fish" in the Gulf of Mexico, "garfish" on the Altantic coast, and 

 "tea-snipe," "silver gar," and "billfish" in different localities. 

 It is about 2$ feet long and weighs about 2 pounds. Other species 

 are known as "needle-fish" and "houndfish" or "agujon." 



Gar-pike (Lepisosteus osseus). — A destructive fish found in the 

 Great Lakes, throughout the Mississippi Valley, and in most of the 

 streams of the Southern states. Other names often used are "gar," 



"billfish," "swordfish," "long-nosed gar-pike," etc. It reaches a 

 length of 5 or 6 feet. The flesh is tough and not edible. 



The short-nosed gar (L. platystomus) is smaller than the preceding 

 and has the same geographic distribution, but is less common north- 

 ward. 



The alligator gar (L. tristxchus) is found in all waters tributary to the 

 Gulf of Mexico as far north as the Ohio River. It attains a length 

 of 10 feet, but averages about 2 feet. It is of no value as a food fish. 



Gaspereau. — The Canadian name for the alewife (Pomolobus 

 pseudoharengus) . 



Goldfish (Carassius auratus). — A small fresh- water fish, closely 

 allied to the carp, native to eastern China. They are used only as 

 ornaments for aquaria. The name is also applied to a California 

 damsel-fish (Hypsypops rubicundus). 



Goody. — See Spot. 



Goosefish (Lophius piscatorius) . — A large sluggish fish found on 

 the north Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia to Cape Lookout. Local 

 names are "angler," "fishing frog," monkfish," "bellows-fish," 

 "molligut," "all-mouth," "wide-gape," "kettleman," etc. It 

 reaches a length of 4 feet and a weight of 40 pounds. Although pala- 

 table, it is seldom used for food, being principally used as bait for 

 lobster pots. 



Grampus (Grampus griseus). — A large dolphin taken on the Atlan- 

 tic coast. It isalsocalled "cowfish." It attains a length of 15 to 20 

 feet, and is valuable for the oil it yields. A smaller species (G. 

 stearnsii) is found on the California coast. 



Grayling ( Thymallus signifer). — A beautiful fish found in Alaska. 

 It averages 10 or 11 inches in length and half a pound in weight. 

 Varieties are found in Montana ( T. montanus) and Michigan ( T. tri- 

 color) and are of great interest to anglers. 



Gray whale (Rhachianectes glaucus). — A large whale found along 

 the Pacific coast; also called "devilfish," "hard-head," "gray 

 back," "rip sack," "mussel digger," etc. It averages 35 or 40 feet 

 in length, and is captured for its oil and baleen. 



Green turtle (Chelonia raidas). — This turtle is found on the coast 

 from Long Island Sound to Florida and along the Gulf coast. In the 

 different localities it varies in size, from 8 pounds at Beaufort, N. C, 

 to 1,000 pounds at Cedar Keys, Fla. The flesh of this turtle forms 

 the basis of the well-known turtle soup; the eggs are valuable for 

 food and for the oil they yield. A closely related species is found 

 on the coast of southern California. 



Grilse. — A young salmon on its first return to fresh water, usually 

 in its second year of life. It then weighs from 2 to 6 pounds, and is 

 of great value as a food fish. See Salmon. 



Grouper (Epinephelus) . — A food fish found off the south Atlantic 

 coast and in the Gulf. The different species are known as "red 

 grouper, ' ' ' ' brown snapper, ' ' red-bellied snapper, ' ' "black grouper, ' ' 

 "jewfish," "warsaw," "spotted hind," "banded grouper," "rock- 

 fish," etc. They vary in size greatly, the "jewfish" exceeding 100 

 pounds. All are caught with hook and line. The name "grouper" 

 is also applied to the rock cod of southern California and to the triple- 

 tail of the St. Johns River. 



Grunt. — The name of several small Hxmulidx quite common off 

 the south Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and sometimes found on the 

 California coast. Different species are known as "black grunt," 

 "red-mouth grunt," "flannel-mouthed porgy," "pigfish," "hog- 

 fish," "sailor's choice," "sargo," "pork-fish," etc. All are caught 

 with hook and line and are valued as food fish. They make a pecul- 

 iar grunting noise when taken out of the water. 



Haddock (Melanogrammus xglifinus). — A food fish found in the 

 Atlantic north of the Delaware capes; called "dickie" in some 

 localities. It averages in weight from 4 to 6 pounds. It is exten- 

 sively caught for a fresh food fish, and is also salted, pickled, and 

 dried. When slack-salted and smoked it is sold under the name 

 of "haddie." The sounds are used in the manufacture of glue. 

 Trawls and hand lines are used in catching them. 



Hake (Urophytis). — Not true hakes. A food fish found off the 

 Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras. Different 



