FISHES FOUND IN THE VICINITY OF WOODS HOLE. 
109 
LOFHIIDJE. The Fishing-Frogs. 
208. Lophius piscatorius Linnseus. Goosefish; Angler; Fishing- frog; “ Toadfish.” (* t) 
Abundant in Vineyard Sound, usually from April 1 to July 1, some seasons from April to November 
or as late as the traps are set. The spawn is often found floating in Vineyard Sound. The traps often 
take boatloads of them which are carried ashore and put on the land, no other use being made of 
them, although the flesh is considered very palatable. Those caught in traps are from 4 inches to 4 
feet long. The young keep offshore in deep water and are never taken in the seine. 
ANTENNARIIDiE. 
209t Pterophryne histrio (Linnaeus). Marbled Angler. {* f §) 
This fish is to be regarded as a straggler from the tropics, whence it comes in the Gulf Stream 
and is drifted ashore in gulf- weed. It was first taken in 1877. 1 In November, 1885, 12 specimens were 
seined in Quisset Harbor. From that year until 1897 none was observed, although the gulf- weed was 
systematically examined. In 1897 this fish was comparatively common in Vineyard Sound. During 
July there was an unusual prevalence of southerly winds and a large quantity of sargasso-weed was 
blown inshore from the Gulf Stream, and with it the marbled angler. During the forenoon of July 24, 
22 specimens were taken in a boat from the Fish Commission station with small dip nets, among the 
gulf- weed in Vineyard Sound, a few miles from Woods Hole, and on the same day 28 specimens were 
secured by a steamer of the Marine Biological Association. Stragglers continued to be caught during 
July and August, one "being obtained at the Fish Commission wharf on August 2. Probably not less 
than 100 specimens were taken during the season. Many were kept alive in aquaria for several weeks, 
and proved of great attraction to visitors. Some remained under or among the gulf- weed at the sur- 
face, some concealed themselves in alga} on the bottom, some hid behind stones and other objects in the 
aquarium, and some sought crevices in rocks. While clumsy in their movements, they were adept in 
approaching and capturing other fishes. They were quite cannibalistic, one about 6 inches long swal- 
lowing another nearly 4 inches long, and they frequently bit off the fleshy dermal appendages of their 
fellows. In August several spawned in the aquarium. The eggs are connected in long bands like 
those of the goosefish {Lophius). On July 17, 1897, 8 specimens of this fish were taken in gulf-weed 
off Nantucket. It is reported that in the summer of 1889 the fish was not uncommon in that region. 
Coincident with this note worthy appearance of Pterophryne in the summer of 1897, the Portuguese 
man-of-war ( Physalia ) was more abundant in Vineyard Sound than during any time in the past 
twenty-five years ; on several days in the latter part of August hundreds were in view at one time off 
Woods Hole. 
1 Recorded from Holmes Hole (Vineyard Haven) by Storer, History of Massachusetts Fishes, 1867. 
