3° 2 
AMERICAN FISHES. 
as the “ Sea-raven,” “ Rock Toad fish,” or “ Deep-water Sculpin,” which 
is found as far south as the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, is abundant 
throughout New England, and has been discovered off the coast of Nova 
Scotia. This fish, Hemitripterus hispidus , or H. americanus , attains the 
length of two feet, and is conspicuous by reason of its russet-orange or 
brick-red colors, its harlequin-like markings, its warted body, its gro¬ 
tesquely elongated fins, and above all, by its peculiar habit of swallowing 
air until its belly is inflated like a balloon. 
These fishes feed upon all bottom animals, mollusks, crustaceans, sea- 
urchins, and worms, and may also be found in the harbors devouring any 
refuse substances which may be lying upon the bottom. They breed for 
the most part in summer, and certain species, like the Sea-raven and the 
Greenland Sculpin, at that time assume very brilliant colors. They are 
not eaten by our people, although the Sea-raven is decidedly palatable. 
Those species which occur in Greenland, are said to be eaten by the 
natives. As has been remarked, they are a source of annoyance to fisher¬ 
men, whose bait they steal and whose hooks, especially the hooks of their 
trawl-lines, they encumber. Boys delight to catch them and fix a piece of 
light wood between their teeth ; they are then unable to swim and struggle 
vigorously at the top of the water. 
About the fish-curing stations they are very abundant, and exceedingly 
useful as scavengers, gorging themselves with refuse thrown back into the 
sea ; they care little for the presence of man, and can hardly be driven 
away, even when roughly punched with a boat-hook. 
In the lakes and streams of the Northern States are numerous species of 
Uranidea and allied genera, known in some localities by the English 
name of “Miller’s Thumb,” also called “Bull-heads,” “Goblins,” 
“Blobs,” and “Muffle-jaws.” They are small and of no importance 
except as the food for larger species. 
The Cottidae, according to Jordan, are represented on the Pacific coast 
by about eighteen separate species, known by such names as “Sculpin,” 
“Drummer,” “ Salpa,” “Johnny,” “ Biggy-head,” and “Cabezon.” 
Only one of these species, Scorpcenichthys marmoratus , has any sort of 
economic importance; the others may be considered collectively. The 
names applied to them may be briefly considered. The name Sculpin, of 
course, is derived from that in use for the Atlantic species of Cottus. 
“ Drummer,” comes from the quivering noise made by many species when 
