86 



MARINE AND FISHERIES 



6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 



FAMILY : MOLIDiE. 



22. Mola mola (Linnaeus). — The sun-fish, as it is called all over the Atlantic waters 

 of Europe and this continent, is not uncommon at Canso and out on the ^ Banks.' 

 Specimens even come close to the beach, and one was driven ashore by the fishermen 

 with oars and g-afis, and was brought to the station. Another example was also ob- 

 tained, and the measurements of each respectively were 1,480 mm. long and 1,780 mm., 

 vertically from the tip of the dorsal to the tip of the anal fin, in the first, and 1,790 

 mm. long and 2,020 mm. vertical measure, in the second. The stomach of one wae^ 

 empty^, while in the other were found two squid. 



FAMILY : SCORP^NID^. 



23. Sehastes marinus (Linnseus). — A few specimens of this fish called locally ^ Red 

 Perch ' or ^ Gale fish,' or more widely the ' Norway haddock,' are taken on every trawl 

 of hooks, but no use is made of them. They frequent a soft bottom at the base of the 

 slope from shallow to deep water at about 60 fathoms. I found that neither the pec- 

 toral nor ventral fins are long enough to reach the anus. 



family : cottid^. 



24. Triglops pingeli (Reinhardt). — A specimen swept into the beam- trawl net at 

 18 fathoms depths in Chedabucto Bay was 78 mm.; and in several respects it dif- 

 fered from the description given by Drs. Jordan and Evermann. The series of spines 

 along the base of the dorsal fin is continued to the caudal fin ; but from the middle of 

 the second dorsal fin the spines are small and not obvious. Dorsally it is light green- 

 ish-brown, mottled with a light reddish shade of the same colour. There are four dark 

 saddles across the back; an interrupted black line runs along the side; there is no 

 ocellus on the anterior dorsal fin. Each of the dorsal fins exhibits three black lines, 

 while the pectoral fin has four dark bars and the anal fin is white. A distinct dark line 

 runs below the eye on each side of the head. 



25. Myoxocephalus groenlandicus (Cuv. and Valenc). — This species is exceedingly 

 common in shallow water, and shows great variation in colour. It ranges in length 

 from 130 to 170 mm. 



26. Myoxocephalus octodecimspinosus (Mitchill). — Several specimens were taken 

 in the beam-trawl net in 18 fathoms of water on a sandy bottom in Chedabucto Bay. 

 In one example, 201 mm. long, the soft dorsal fin had a short anterior spine ; but pos- 

 sibly this feature was not normal, as in two smaller specimens it was absent. In the 

 same large specimen the preopercular spine does not extend so far as the opercular 

 spine ; but this does not apply to the two smaller examples. 



27. Hemitripterus americanus (Gmelin) — This is a very common fish at Canso, and 

 as a rule called the ' Sculpin.' It occui'S at depths of a few feet down to 50 or 60 fe- 

 thoms, and varies most remarkably in colour; some are bright red, others dark brown, 

 and there are intermediate shades. The brilliant-red specimens generally occur in 

 deep water ; but the dark-brown type occurs at all depths. Large specimens are taken, 

 the largest being no less than 511 mm. long. They are used as bait in the lobster traps 

 with other rejected or ' offal ' fish. 



family: agonid^. 



28. Asptdophoroides monopterygius (Bloch). — The beam-trawl net secured several 

 specimens in Chedabucto Bay at a depth of about 18 fathoms. 



