6 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Dekay has caught them weighing nearly three pounds. This species has been re- 

 peatedly transported from one pond to another with complete success. Dr. Mitchill 

 transferred them a distance of forty miles. 



It has been noticed in Maine, Massachusetts, Stoeer ; New Hampshire, H. R. 

 Storer; Vermont, Thompson ; Connecticut, Ayres ; New York, Mitchill, Dekay; 

 Pennsylvania, Haldeman ; Ohio, Kirtland ; and in all the ponds and streams of the 

 great lakes, Richardson, Agassiz ; New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Perley. 



GENUS IL LABRAX, Cuv. 



Distinguished from the Perch by the scaly opercula, terminating with two spines, 

 and by a tongue covered with prickles. 



Labrax lineatus. Cot. 

 The Striped Bass. 



(Plate I. Fig. 4.) 



Scimna Uneata^ Bloch, pL 304. 



Perca Mitchilli^ Striped Bass or Rock-fish, Mitchiix, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 413, pi. 3, fig. 4. 

 Rock Bass^ Mease, Trans, Lit. and Pliil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 502. 

 Le Bar rayi {ou Rock-fish) des Etats-Unis, Labraz lineatus j Cuv. et Val., ii. p. 79. 

 Lahrax lineatus, Griffith's Cuv. x. p. 103. 

 " *' Rich., Fauna Boreal. Americ, ni, p. 10. 



Storee, Report; p. 7, 



Ayres, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., iv. p 257. 



Dekay, N. Y. Report, p. 7, pi. 1, fig. 3. 



LiNSLEY, Cat. of Fishes of Conn. 



Stoker, Mem. of Anier. Acad., New Series, ii. p. 273. 



Stoker, Synopsis, p. 21. 



Color. The u}3per part of the body is silvery brown, with a greenish-blue tinge ; 

 the sides are lighter ; the abdomen of a beautiful, clear silvery color ; the opercula 

 are more or less golden. Eight or more longitudinal black bands pass from behind 

 the operculum towards the tail ; the upper bands are lost just back of the termination 

 of the second dorsal fin ; the three or four central ones extend to the caudal fin ; while 

 the lower ones reach only the posterior portion of the anal, or are even lost anterior 

 to that fin. Sometimes these bands are all entire ; in other specimens, more or less 

 of them are interrupted at intervals ; while in others still, instead of being straight 

 throughout, frequent undulations or curves are observed. It sometimes happens that 

 all the bands on one side of the fish are perfect, w^hile all on the other side of the 

 same specimen are broken or irregular. Pupils black , irides golden. 



Description. The form of this species is cylindrical Length of head to entire 





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