THE WEAK- FISH. 171 



able. Size commonly from a foot to fifteen inches; but often 

 grows larger. I weighed one, for example, that measured 

 27 inches in length, by seven in depth, and found him hea- 

 vier than six pounds. He never goes into fresh streams, or 

 ponds, but within the limits of the salt water is taken in al- 

 most all the places where the rock-fish is caught. The weak- 

 fish is so much the companion of the basse, that I once gave 

 him the specific name of Comes. He resembles the rock in 

 the following particulars: 1. A wide mouth, with small 

 teeth in the lips and jaws; 2. Patches of teeth at the bottom 

 of a capacious throat; 3. Two dorsal fins, the foremost of 

 which has eight rays; 4. A lateral line passing into the cau- 

 dal fin; 5. A nearly corresponding number of sixteen rays in 

 the pectoral, and seventeen in the caudal fins; 6. Double 

 nostrils, and an elongated lower jaw; 7. A projecting head; 

 and, 8. Large pale yellow eyes on its sides. But there are 

 no tangible serra? on the gill cover, the divisions at the edge 

 are visible only. They are not long, but yield to the slightest 

 touch. Also the gill cover is not fairly triparite ; but consists 

 of no more than two plain divisions. * * * * The weak-fisb 

 cannot, therefore, be deemed a perca. I have been obliged 

 to separate him from his companion, the rock, notwithstand- 

 ing their numerous points of similitude. I have, upon the 

 whole, associated him with the great family of labrus ; a 

 connexion he seems to be qualified for, by his smooth and 

 scaly gill covers, his sharp and strong teeth, and the softness 

 of his dorsal rays. I have given him the specific name by 

 which the Narraganset natives distinguish him — squeteague. 

 It would have been as easy to have assigned the Mohegan 

 appellation, Checouts. Head and back of the weak-fish, 

 brown, with frequently a tinge of greenish. The spaces to- 

 wards the sides, faintly silvery, with dusky specks. These 

 gradually disappear on the sides, until on descending to the 

 belly a clear white pervades from the chin to the tail. The 



