The Striped Bass or Rock-fish of the United States (L. lineatus) very nearly resembles the common bass, but attains a larger size. It is one of the most important of American food fishes, and sometimes weighs fifty pounds. It is caught from July to September. The name Stone Bass is given to various forms. A Yellow Bass is found in the Lower Mississippi valley, and the Fresh-water Bass is an imported fish found in the streams of eastern New York and the other middle states.
Bluefish (Temnodon or Pomatomus saltator).—A fish common on the eastern coasts of America, allied to the mackerel. The only known species is abundant on the east coast of North America. The upper parts are of a bluish color, the lower parts whitish, a large black spot at the base of the pectoral fins. The mouth is crowded with teeth, the jaws are furnished with large ones. The bluefish preys on other fishes, such as the menhaden and mackerel, the shoals of which it pursues. It sometimes attains a length of three, or even five feet, and a weight of fourteen pounds. It is often caught by trolling, as it bites readily at an object drawn swiftly through the water. It is much esteemed for the table.
Bullhead.—In the United States the name is given to some species of catfish or horned pout; in England to a smaller fish, allied to our miller’s thumb, but belonging to a different group from the catfish.
Carp. See [page 256].
Cod (Gadus), a genus of bony fishes in the soft-rayed order. This is probably the most important food fish and is taken in enormous numbers on the coasts of Europe and of eastern North America. It occurs in the northern Pacific as well. It feeds upon other fishes as well as on shellfish, and large specimens weigh over one hundred pounds. Allied to the cod are the haddock, pollack, hake and cusk.
Eel (Anguilla vulgaris) has elongated form, and has become proverbial on account of its slipperiness and tenacity of life. In the rivers and lakes only female fish are found; the males keep to the open sea. The former go down to the sea in the autumn; but in the following spring the young female fish swim up the rivers in immense numbers, while the young males remain in the sea. During the day the eel conceals itself in the mud, but at night it exhibits its voracious qualities by swallowing numerous fish, water insects, crabs, mussels, and worms. Its firm, delicate flesh is much esteemed.
Flounder (Pleuronectes flesus), a common species of flat-fish, of wide distribution in shallow waters in north temperate countries. It is the Scotch “fluke,” and the Swedish “flundra,” and differs but a little from the plaice and dab, two of the commonest neighbor-species. Like other flat-fishes, the flounder is asymmetrical, and swims or rests on one side, almost always the left, the eye of which is in early youth, brought round to the upturned surface. It measures about one foot in length, and about a third as much between the dorsal and the ventral edge, without including the fringing fins.
Of the two dozen related species, the plaice, the dab, the smear-dab, and the craig-fluke are the commonest.
Flying-fish.—Various fishes which have the power of sustaining themselves for a time in the air by means of their large pectoral fins. Generally, however, the name is limited to the species of the genus Exocoetus, which belongs to the family of mackerel-pikes. These can pass through the air to a considerable distance, sometimes as much as two hundred yards, to escape from the attacks of other fishes, especially the dolphin. They are most common between the tropics.