ON THE EDIBLE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 117 



here as an article of food, although Dekay informs us that in New York 

 it is considered a delicate fish. 



The New York Sole (Aclrirus mollis, Cuvier.) — Although Dr. Dekay 

 speaks of this species as being common in the waters of New York, it 

 is rarely found in Massachusetts. It is considered a very delicate fish 

 for the table. Its length is about six inches. 



The Lump Fish (Lumpus anglorum, Willoughby). — The whole ap- 

 pearance of this fish is very forbidding. Richardson tells us that " the 

 Greenlanders eat its flesh, either cooked or dried, and its skin raw, 

 •throwing away only the tubercles," and Dr. Neal observes, " that it is 

 purchased at Edinburgh for the table." With us, however, it is not used 

 as an article of food. 



The Common EeI of Massachusetts is taken along our entire coast, as 

 well as in the rivers and ponds of the State. At some seasons, spring 

 and winter, for instance, great numbers are brought to market from the 

 mouths of the neighbouring rivers, upon the muddy bottoms of which 

 they live. So great is the demand, that, sometimes, it cannot be answered. 



During the winter this species is speared, holes being cut through 

 the ice for this purpose. In spring the markets are usually supplied 

 from the rivers, where they are taken in nets. At Medford nets are 

 stretched across the river, having in their middle a large bag capable of 

 containing from 15 to 20 bushels ; as the eels are going up or down the 

 river they are caught, and are kept alive for the supply of the market, 

 in large ditches, excavated near the river, which are supplied by the 

 tide- water. About 3,000 pounds are yearly taken at Watertown. Those 

 taken in summer, when they are able to procure the brill and other 

 fishes upon which they feed, are much the larger and richer, weighing 

 from one to nine pounds. 



The Sun-fish (Ortkagoriscus mola, Schneider). — This inedible fish is 

 occasionally met with during the summer season in Massachusetts Bay, 

 sluggishly swimming near the surface. It sometimes weighs 500 lbs. 

 Its liver, which weighs eight or ten pounds, is very oily, furnishing two 

 or more quarts of oil, which is used by the fishermen to grease their 

 masts ; it is also sometimes used by painters, although not preferable in 

 this respect to other fish oil. It is considered by many fishermen a 

 valuable application for sprains and bruises, and by such it is preserved 

 for these purposes. 



The Sharp-nosed Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrincJms, Mitchill). — 

 This fish is sometimes taken measuring even ten feet. But little atten- 

 tion has as yet been paid in this country to the value of the sturgeon 

 fishery in an economical point of view. The several species we possess 

 might unquestionably be made useful. The following observations of 

 Professor B. Jaegar contained in the 19th vol. of Hunt's Merchant's 

 Magazine (New York), for 1848, are worthy of perusal : — 



" The principal sturgeon fisheries are without doubt those on the 



