HISTOEY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. S65 



tliis species strewed along the shore, where they had been left by the tidej while in pur- 

 suit of sand-eels and other small fishes. Since that period, the blue-fish haying been 



more common, this species does not exist in as great abundance. 



Occasionally this species is brought to market, and when perfectly fresh is a very 

 sweet fish, boiled, broiled, or fried. It soon becomes soft, and is preserTed with diffi- 

 culty. As it does not appear to be known abroad, and the fishermen consequently hare 

 no call for it, it is not cured, but is considered worthless. In the months of Septem- 

 ber and October the whiting is used somewhat for bait for the dog-fish, and answers 

 a good purpose. This species remains upon our coast until late in the autumn, when, 

 the water' becoming colder, they disappear. 



Dr. Dekay's figure of this species is bad. The second dorsal and anal fins do not 

 show the emargination at all, and the caudal is too deeply concave. 



Dr. Dekay thinks that Mitchill was induced to attribute three dorsal fins to this spe- 

 cies on account of " the accidental rupture of the membrane." I think this is not the 

 case ; but that, owing to this deep emargination, the membrane connecting the nine- 

 teenth and twentieth rays was so low as almost to seem like the extremity of a fin, 



Massachusetts, Storee. Connecticut, Linsley, Ayres. New York, Mitchill, 

 Dekay. 



GENUS VI. PI-IYCIS, Aktedl 



Body elongated. Two dorsal fins, first short, second long ; ventral fins with a single 

 ray only at the base, afterwards divided. Chin with one barbulc. 



Phycis Americanus, Storen 

 The White Hake. 



(Plate XXIX. Fig. S.) 



Enchehjopus Americanus, Schneidek, GEirriTn's Cuv , x. p. 489. 



Gadiis longipes, Codlingj Mitch., Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 372, pi. 1, fig, 4. 



Phycis /meatus^ Stoeee, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist , i. p. 418. 



Phycis Americanus, American Ualce, Stoeek, Ecport, p. 138. 



" " Codling, Bekat, Eeport, p. 291, pi. 46, fig. 150. 



*' '' Stoeee, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, ii. p. 473. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 221. 



Color. This fish, when first taken, is of a reddish-brown color above, bronzed upon 

 the sides. The throat, and abdomen in front of the anus, are white, thickly sprinkled 

 with minute black dots, causing them to appear almost fuliginous ; less of this appear- 



YOL. TI. NEW SEKIES. 57 



