THE WKAK-FIS1I. 
171 
able. Size commonly from a foot to fifteen inches; but often 
grows larger. I weighed one, for example, that measured 
27 inches in length, by seven in depth, and found him hea- 
vier than six pounds. He never goes into fresh streams, or 
ponds, but within the limits of the salt water is taken in al- 
most all the places where the rock-fish is caught. The weak- 
fish is so much the companion of the basse, that I once gave 
him the specific name of Comes. Ho resembles the rock m 
the following particulars: 1. A wide mouth, with small 
teeth in the lips and jaws; 2. Patches of teeth at the bottom 
of a capacious throat; 3. Two dorsal fins, the foremost of 
which has eight rays; 4. A lateral line passing into the cau- 
dal fin; 5. A nearly corresponding number of sixteen rays in 
the pectoral, and seventeen in the caudal fins; G. Double 
nostrils, and an elongated lower jaw; 7. A projecting head; 
and, 8. Large pale yellow eyes on its sides. But there are 
no tangible serrce on the gill cover, the divisions at the edge 
are visible only. They are not long, but yield to the slightest 
touch. Also the gill cover is not fairly triparite; but consists 
of no more than two plain divisions. * * * * The weak-fish 
cannot, therefore, be deemed a pcrca. I havo been obliged 
to separate him from his companion, the rock, notwithstand- 
ing their numerous points of similitude. I have, upon the 
whole, associated him with the great family of labrus; a 
connexion he seems to be qualified for, by his smooth and 
scaly gill covers, his sharp and strong teeth, and the softness 
of his dorsal rays. I have given him the specific name by 
which the Narragauset natives distinguish him — squeteague. 
It would have been as easy to have assigned the Mohegan 
appellation, Checouts. Head and back of the weak-fish, 
brown, with frequently a tinge of greenish. The spaces to- 
wards the sides, faintly silvery, with dusky specks. These 
gradually disappear on the sides, until on descending to the 
belly a clear white pervades from the chin to the tail. The 
