FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 413 



Killy, Rainwater Fish, Sunfish, and Chain Pickerel. The smallest individuals secured 

 were taken September 12, 1901 ; they measured from '3 /^ of an inch to i '/,6 inches 

 in length. On September 13th the length varied from lyi inches to i^s inches. 



97. Common Silverside ; Friar {Menidia notata Mitchill). 



The Common Silverside was first made known by Dr. Mitchill under the name 

 of Small Silverside, and he describes the young of the same fish as the Green-sided 

 Silverside. Dr. DeKay states that the Silverside was known in the harbors of New 

 York as the Anchovy and the Sand Smelt. 



Friar is a New England name for the fish. About Boston it is called Capelin, 

 and in the vicinity of Watch Hill, fishermen call it Merit Fish. Sperling is a name 

 recently applied to this species by some fishermen, and still other persons offer it as 

 White-bait. In Great South Bay it is known as Shiner. 



The Silverside is known to occur on the coast from Maine to North Carolina. 

 It is one of the most abundant of the small fishes in our waters, swimming in- 

 immense schools made up of fishes of different sizes, and it forms a considerable 

 part of the food of the more valuable species, such as the mackerel, bluefish, weak- 

 fish, and flounders, and is very much in demand as a bait for hook and line fishing. 

 Ayres says it is rather abundant through the summer in Old Man's Harbor, arriv- 

 ing in May and remaining until November. He picked them up on the beach 

 driven ashore by storms during the whole summer. 



It is found in Gravesend Bay almost all the year. This fish is abundant every- 

 where in salt and brackish waters of Long Island. The young are sold as "White- 

 bait " and adults are used to bait eel pots in summer and also in fishing for bluefish. 

 The smallest individual taken in the summer of igoi was I inch long, caught at 

 Howell's Point July 13; the largest measured 5^ inches, taken at Whale House 

 Hole August 9. 



This fish often skips out of the water and above the surface to escape from 

 fluke and other enemies. When fishing with lanterns at night, the Common Silver- 

 side were seen almost continually leaping out of the water in all directions, and 

 sometimes they fell upon the bow of the boat and were caught in that way. The 

 fish often appear to be phosphorescent when they leave the water. 



98. Rough Silverside {Kirtlandia vagrans Goode & Bean). 



The Rough Silverside was first described from Pensacola, Florida ; it was after- 

 ward obtained from Beaufort, North Carolina, and redescribed by Swain under a 

 different name. I am unable to distinguish between Swain's specimens, the types 

 taken in Florida, and recent specimens collected in waters of Long Island. 



