POMATOMID®. PISHES. AMMODYTIDai. 
ccxliii 
is anotlier trivial designation. It is periodical in 
its appearance here. Dr. DeKay says: “About 
twenty years since they were Ciuight in great num- 
bers here in seines, and exposed in our markets for 
sale. Some of them were eighteen inches long.” 
Famh.y— LOBO'l'lDiE. 
'I’his group is a portion of what constituted the 
family Scienidm, now separated and represented in 
our waters by only one genus. 
FLASHER (Lobotes suriruimensis, Guv.) — Ranges 
from Cape Cod southward. 'I'his is called Triplk- 
TAii, and 'r. Pkbch, from the peculiar tail-like aspect 
of the dorse and anal fin. Mitchill described it as 
the latter (Bodianus triurus). Black Grunt is also 
a trivial name. 
Family— POM ATOMID ^2. 
'R'LTJ'E.-'SlSiS. (Pomatomns saltatrix [Linn.), Gill ). — 
This much esteemed Fish retains the specific name 
bestowed on it by Linnaeus; its luiliit of jum[)ing out 
of the water suggesting it. Mitchill described and 
figured it as Horsk Mackerel (Scomber plumbeus). 
It is known by that trivial name at present in New- 
port and Beesley’s Point, N. J. Jn Virginia it is 
called 'I'ailor, and in other places Snap Mackerei, 
and White-fish. Linnaeus used the term Skip-jack 
and Green-fish, and the generic one Gasterosteus. 
Shaw I'ecords it Skipping Stickleback; Lacepede, 
the PoMATOME Skip, 'remnodon has been used later, 
by most American writers, as the generic term. 'I’he 
remarkable change of habitat of Fishes is exemplified 
in this species. Dr. Smith records [History of Fishes 
of Massachnsetts, 1833) — “Horse Mackerel (S. plum- 
beus) : On the authority of Dr. .Mitchill we notice 
the existence of this little Fish, thirteen inches long, 
with a name that is associated with the idea of some- 
thing large enough to swallow a horse. Not a. single 
specimen could be procured last season in the vicinity 
of Boston.” About 1850 single individuals were 
taken at Nahant and in Boston Bay, and were in 
great request, selling for high prices. 'The Fish is 
now quite plentiful in those waters. Stoi'er says: 
“ For a long series of years it disappeared from our 
waters, though it was once plentiful and was held in 
high estimation by the aborigines.” The Blue-fish is 
regarded as one of our best for the table, but in the 
spring it is almost worthless from being too lean, and 
in autumn it is too fat. It is very destructive to the 
Mackerel fishery; a shoal is always the precursor of a 
grand scattering of the latter. 'I’he Blue-fish affbnls 
excellent sport, as it takes the hook sharply in trol- 
ling. In some portions of our coast considerable at- 
tention is paid to this sport. With a good iireeze, 
in a boat under full sail, the lines trolling behind, 
one may experience a good share of the pleasures of 
angling. The range of this Fish is remarkable; it is 
seen in the Mediterranean, in the Indian Ocean and 
near New Holland. 
Family — ELACA'ITD^. 
CRAB-EATER [Elacate canadus [Linn.), Gill ). — 
Ranges from Cape Cod to the West Indies. Lin- 
naeus used the generic term Gasterosteus ; Bloch re- 
cords it as Scomber niger; Lacepede as Centronote 
gardenien ; Mitchill as C. spinosus. DeKay figures 
it as the Northern Crab-eater (E. athintica), ami 
remarks that his specimen “was taken in a seine in 
Boston Harbor, and, being put into a car with several 
Porgees, the latter were soon eaten by him.” He 
says it is a rare and probably solitary Fish. Its 
geograjihical range is very great, being found on the 
coast of Africa, and on our coast ’from 42° north to 
Brazil. Being too rare to have received a popular 
name, DeKay has adopted the present one. 
Family— CHI LODI L'l'ERlD A2. 
This family is represented by one genus and one 
species, which is strictly West Indian, though occa- 
sional on our coast. It has been found on the beach 
at Newport, R. 1. The species is Apogonichthys 
americanus, Castelnau. 
Family— PR I A C ANTHID HI. 
COMMON BIG-EYE [Priacanthits niaeropthalmus, 
G'WO .) — This is recorded as a. doubtful species, found 
in the VVest Indies and occasionally northwaids. 
SHORT BIG-EYE [Pseudopriacanthus altus. Gill). 
— Called, also, Bleeker ; is found from Cape Cod to 
Cape llatteras. 
Family— AALMODY'ITDH:. 
SAND-EEL [Ammodytes americanus, DeKay ). — 
Called Sand lance in New England. Ranges from 
Newl'oundland to llatteras. Described by Mitchill 
as A. tobianus. Specimens frequently wash ushoi'e 
after or during storms. It has the habit to bury it- 
self in the sand. DeKay says it is not a rare si)ecies. 
but, I'roni its insignificant size, never appears in our 
markets. Storer records it as .Sand-eel (A. aineri- 
canns), and Aj'res, A. hincea. The former author 
writes : “ This species is found plentifully at Holmes’ 
Hole, and is often collected at Provincetown in my- 
riads.” The shores aie often lined with these Fishes, 
left by t he tide. The water in the vicinity of Long 
Point, Provincetown, according to Captain Atwood, 
is at times literally alive with them. “ 'I'hey have 
been known to come ashore in such quantities that 
they covered the ground from one to two inches deep, 
and when the water covered the flats the whole bot- 
tom looked like an immense sheet of silver.” Am- 
modytes dubius, Reinhardt, is another species, rang- 
ing from the Polar regions to Cape Cod. 
THE BANDED SAND-LAUNCE [Argyrotmnia nit- 
tata [DeKay), Gill). — Recorded by Gill as doubtl'ul 
as to genus and species, and its habitat placed 
New York (?). DeKay figures and describes it as 
Ammodytes vittatus, but expresses great doubt about 
the genus. 
Family— ECHENEIDIDHI. 
'I’his family embraces four genera, of which the 
Remora (Echeneis) is the type. Formerly the term 
CyclopteridcB was used to include in one family a 
larger number of varied forms, which were provided 
with sucking discs. 
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