442 REPORT OF THE 



Squirrelfish, Porgee, Yellow Tail and Shiner. In Great South Bay the fish was 

 unknown to the fishermen ; also in Great Egg Harbor Bay, where the young are not 

 uncommon in summer. 



This fish inhabits the Atlantic and Gulf coast of the United States, rangfine 

 northward in summ.er as far as Cape Cod. It is also found in Cuba. 



Although small, seldom exceeding the length of 7 inches, it is much used as a 

 food in some localities, especially in St. John's River. 



According to Dr. Smith, a few specimens are usually taken each season from 

 July to September at Woods Hole, Mass. 



The Sailor's Choice is found occasionally in summer in Gravesend Bay. A single 

 example was obtained at Fire Island October l, 1890. It feeds upon small inverte- 

 brates and minnows. 



The eggs are described as pale blue in color, and as large as a mustard seed. 

 Spawning takes place in the Gulf of Mexico in winter or early spring. This is 

 a beautiful fish, the sides being ornamented with golden stripes on a pretty white 

 ground and having numerous dark vertical bands. 



165. Sheepshead {Archosargns probatocepJiahis Walbaum). 



The Sheepshead was at one time very abundant in New York waters. Dr. 

 Mitchill has left the following record : " The Sheepshead swims in shoals and is 

 sometimes surrounded in great numbers by the seine. Several hundred have often 

 been taken at a single haul with the long sweeping nets in use at Raynortown, 

 Babylon and Fire Island. There have been 1,000 brought to land at a draught. 

 This fish is sometimes speared by torchlight in the wide and shallow bays in 

 Queens County and Suffolk." 



Mitchill further states that the Sheepshead remains from the beginning of June 

 to the middle of September, but he has seen them as late as October 17. 



DeKay stated that the Sheepshead breeds along the south coast and appears on 

 New York shores in June; that it usually disappears in September, but in mild 

 seasons remains until the middle of October. He states also that the fish reaches 

 the weight of 15 pounds. 



Scott, in 1875, referred to Fire Island as a good locality for Sheepshead fishing 

 and also mentions superior feeding places in Great South Bay, and about the wreck 

 of the Black Warrior near the narrows. 



Ayres, writing about Old Man's Harbor, states that the Sheepshead is now (1844) 

 very rare, much more so than formerly. In three years he was unable to obtain one 

 though he saw one or two while fishing. In the South Bay, near Fire Island Inlet, 



