THE ROSE-FISH, AND ITS ALLIES. 
269 
is known as “ Boccacio ” or “ Boccac ” ( bocatch ) to the Italians, and as 
“Merou” ( maroo ) to the Portuguese. American fishermen use the name 
“ Jack,” and those who fish for the young from the wharves call them 
“Tom-cod.” The name “Boccacio” (Big-mouthed) is very appro¬ 
priate; “ Merou ” is transferred from Atlantic species of Epinephelns ; 
“Jack” comes from the species of Esox and Stizostedium , which in the 
Southern States are called by that name. This species is one of the largest 
of the group, reaching the weight of twelve to fifteen pounds. Its average 
size in the markets is greater than that of any of the others. It ranges 
from the Santa Barbara Islands to Cape Mendocino. It inhabits reefs in 
deep water, only the young coming near the shore. It is rather more 
abundant southward than about San Francisco. It is, however, a common 
market-fish, and its flesh is considered excellent. It is probably the most 
voracious of the family. 
Five species of the genus Sebastichthys , namely, S. jnelanops, S. caurinus , 
S. maliger , S. proriger , and S. ciliatus , attain to large size and consider¬ 
able commercial importance in Alaska, and are discussed by Dr. Bean in 
his paper on the “ Shore Fisheries of Alaska ” in another section of this 
work. S. melanops is called “ Black Bass” at Sitka. 
The Rock Trouts, Chiridce , a family of fish of considerable importance 
on our Pacific coast,is that of the Chiridee, , or Rock Trouts, no representa¬ 
tives of which are known in the Atlantic. One or two species of the 
family occur in the sea of Japan. 
The Boregata, Hexagrcimmus Stelleri , is known in Puget Sound by the 
Italian name of “ Boregata ” or “Boregat.” The name “Starling” is 
applied to some fish, supposed by us to be this species, in the Straits of 
Fuca. It reaches a length of fifteen inches and a weight of three pounds. 
It ranges from Puget Sound to Ivamtchatka. In Puget Sound it is com¬ 
paratively abundant, living about rocks. It spawns in July. It feeds on 
crustaceans, worms, and fishes, and apparently gets its food on the bottom 
in deep water, as the animals taken from its stomach are often of a kind 
not seen near shore. Its intestines are very often full of long tsenioid 
worms, supposed to be parasitic. As a food-fish, it ranks with the other 
Rock-trout, being of fair quality, but inferior to Ophiodon and Sebastichthys. 
The name “Boregata,” is applied to the Green Rock Trout, Hexa- 
grammus decagrammus , by the Italians on Puget Sound. The name 
“ Rock Cod ” is also given to it. From San Francisco southward, the 
