ccxl 
Muilid®. ^FISHES. Sci®nid®. 
ill the Mediterninean ; Cuviei- was of tlie opinion 
that “ there is no trace of its existence on tlie coast 
of America but we have the autliority of Gill that 
it is occasional off the coast of Newfoiindlaiul. 
Family— MULLID a;. 
'I’his family derives its designation from Mullus, 
the ancient Latin name of the Ited or Sur-mullet, the 
typical genus, a Fish familiar to the ancients in song 
and story. Jfelon figures several that are evidently 
of this group. Aristotle recoi’ds an account of the 
Mullet fishing in the Mediterranean Sea and near the 
coast of Greece. Oppian commemorates in verse his 
knowledge of the Fish and its peculiar habits. 
WGien 0|)po3ed by the seines it is said that the 
leaders of a shoal leap the barrier, when all follow, 
like so many sheep. Oppian has it : 
“ The Mullet, when encirchng seines enclose, 
The fatal threads and treacherous bosom knows, 
Instant he rallies all his vigorous powers, 
And faithful aid of every name implores; 
O’er battlement of cork up-darting flies. 
And finds from air the escape which sea denies.” 
'I’here are three species in England, but in our waters 
only one, and that as an occasional straggler from 
the West Indian waters. 'I'his family, though having 
a similar mune, is not to be confounded with Mugi- 
lidm, which is noticed further on. 
Family— BERYOID.E. 
SQUIRREL-EISH (Iloloceiitrum soglio, Bloch ). — 
'This is an accidental straggler on our coast, but 
common in Bermuda and the West Indies, where it 
is called Matagaila. It is a beautiful species, the 
large eye and unil'orni red color I'eniinding one of the 
Norway Haddock, and the extreme slenderness of 
the body behind the dorsal fin is quite unique. It 
has been very successfully kept at the New York 
Aquarium. 
Family— SCI AINID^. 
'I'he family name is derived from Sciaena, a large 
Mediterranean species. 'I'he characters are seen on 
the more or less elongated and (h'pressed body, 
ctenoid scales, which are distributed in oblique rows, 
double nostrils, mouth with a lateral cleft, acute 
teeth, situated in bands on the jaw, and an unarmed 
palate. The family is represented by about one hun- 
dred and forty species, distributed in various regions 
of the woild. Belon gives an illustration of a spe- 
cies which he names Maigre, or Scimnu, and Umira, 
and is a veiy good figure of the Drum-fish, which is 
related to this groiq). 'I'he Sciacna of the ancients 
was a celebrated Fish, now known as S. aquila; its 
weight often reached sixty j)onnds. It was much 
esteemed by the Romans. The head was highly- 
prized, and a custom prevailed to present this part 
to the principal city functionaries.as a sort of tribute. 
The ear-bones, ossicles or otoliths, are large, and in 
ancient times they were prized as “ colic stones,” be- 
ing encased in gold, and worn around the neck as a 
preventive of the colic. 'I’he Maigre is reputed to 
emit sounds like those of the Drum-fish, which are 
heard at great depths. Cuvier regards this sound 
as jiroceeding from some function of the air-bladder. 
The term Umber, or Umbrina, which is applied by the 
ancients to one species, is I’roin the habit noticed of 
quickly swimming out of sight, like a shadow. Colu- 
mella states that it was one of the Fishes kept in 
salt-water ponds. 'I'he Maigre (S. aquila) is occasion- 
ally seen in British waters. Dr. Neill observed one in 
Shetland that was trying to escape the clutches of 
a Seal. It measured five feet four inches in length, 
and when raised into the boat uttered its usual purr- 
ing noise. 
SALMON TROUT {Cynoscion carolinensis {Guv. and 
Val.), Gill ). — SroTTKD Sea-trout is the designation 
on the Southern coast. It also bears the name of 
Spotted Silver-sides. Its range is fVom Cape llat- 
teras to Florida. 
SQUETEAGUE, OR SQUIT {Cy noscion regalis 
(Bloch), Gill ). — This familiar species is called by the 
iMohegan Indians, Siiecutts. In Connecticut it is 
named Chickwick ; in New York, Weak-fish; at 
Beesley’s Point it is Blue-fish. On the Southern 
coast it bears the several designations : 'I'rodt, Salt- 
water Trout, Gray 'I'rout. Its range is from Cape 
Cod to Florida. Mitchill recorded this Fish as 
Roccus comes, because it was so much the com- 
panion of the Bass. He has since named it Labrus 
squeteague. Schneider records it Scutkeo and Scur- 
PAUG (Johnius regalis) ; Cuvier as Otolithus regalis. 
DeKay and Storer follow the latter nomenclature. 
The term Weak-fish is derived from its feeble resist- 
ance on the hook, and the facility with which it 
breaks away from it. DeKay remarks: “Although 
this Fish is extensively eaten, it may be ranked 
among those of a secondary qualily.” In New Or- 
leans it is not uncommon, where it is named 'front. 
According to Storer, many years since the AVeak-fish 
was abundant in the vicinity of Nantucket, but since 
1867 it has disappeared. Dr. Yale writes to Dr. 
Storer: ‘''I’he Squeteague has deserted these waters; 
there has not been one taken for three or four years 
about here ; they left about the time the Blue-fish 
came. 'I'he Blue-fish is regarded as its avowed 
enemy.” C. thallassinus (Holb.), Gill, and C. nothus 
(Holb.), Gill, are known to the same watei's. 
THE BIG DRUM (Pogonins chromic, Lucepl) — In- 
habits from Cape Cod to Florida. 'I’his is Labrus 
of Linnaeus, and Mugil gigas of Alilchill. Itisalso 
called Black Drum (Sciiena fnsca), and Red DruiM 
(Sciama, gigas), of the same. 'J’his results from these 
being two strongly- marked varieties, which have 
since been found to be one species. DeKay sai'S : 
■‘This is a. large and deep Fish, its lengih being 
usually about three feet, wil-h a depth of about fifteen 
to eighteen inches. One of this size weighs about 
twenty-five pounds. I have heard of their weighing 
more than eighty pounds.” 'J'hey are not esteemed 
as food, though the young are eaten and thought to 
be delicate. 'I'his Fish has proven to be one of the 
most hardy as an aquarium specimen. 
YELLOW-TAIL (Liostomvs xanthiirns, Lacep ). — 
Ranges from Cape Cod to Florida. 
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