4l8 REPORT OF THE 



Group BERYCOIDEI. 

 Family MULLIDiE. Surmullets. 



106. Red Mullet; Goatfish {Mu/his auratus Jordan & Gilhert). 



The Red Mullet occurs along the coast from Cape Cod, ranging southward to 

 Pensacola. It is occasionally taken in small numbers at Woods Hole, Mass., but is 

 more abundant on the Red Snapper banks off Pensacola; it grows to the length 

 of 8 inches. Dr. Smith states that it is taken at Woods Hole every year in Sep- 

 tember, but that prior to 1888 it was rather more abundant than now. Three 

 living examples were seined at Sandy Hook on October 8, 1897. Fishermen 

 reported that large numbers were seen there in September and October of that 

 year. The fish was obtained October 17, 1898, from a pound near Clam Pond Cove. 

 This is apparently the first record of its capture in Long Island waters. 



Group SCOMBROIDEI. Mackerel-like Fishes. 

 Family SCOMBRIDiE. Mackerels. 



107. Common Mackerel (^Scomber scombrus Linnaeus). 



The Common Mackerel is described by DeKay under the name of Spring Mack- 

 erel. He states that it appears on our coast in the months of May and June, but 

 its numbers vary in different years. Ayres wrote that several years prior to 1841 

 this mackerel appeared in Long Island Sound and for a few weeks was very abun- 

 dant on the north side of the island, but the occurrence was only accidental as he 

 did not see it again. 



Young mackerel, 3 14! and 5J^ inches long, were taken in Gravesend Bay, May 23, 

 1896; they were the first for that year. They usually come at the same time as the 

 Anchovy and the Weakfish. They are often seen swimming at the surface in small 

 bunches of 18 or 20, occasionally 100, in the latter part of May or early in June. 

 They are always split up into small bunches probably by the attacks of Weakfish 

 and other predaceous fishes which are present at the time. Flukes also take them 

 in shoal water. 



In the summer of 1901 only a few small mackerel were seen in Great South Bay. 

 The young, measuring from 2^ to 3^ inches, were picked up dead on the ocean 

 beach of Long Island on July 25 and 26. These were driven ashore by large 

 Bluefish and Weakfish. 



