Notes on certain species of Nova Scotian fishes [microform]

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{From the Canadian Naturalist, fur Jpril, 1865.)

NOTES ON CERTAIN SPECIES OF NOVA-SCOTIAN

FISHES.

By J. Matthew Jones, F.L.S.

The Yellow Perch. — Perm Jlavesccns.

Perca flavescens Cuv. et Val., ii, p. 40.

»( » Rich.jFaun.Bor. Amer., p. l,pl. 74.

(< «< Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 5.

j< <« DeKay,N. Y. Faun., p. 3, pi. l,fig. 1.

U a Hclb.,Ich. S. C, p. 2, pi. 1, fig. 1.

M <« Gunth., Cat. Fishes, i, p. 59.

Bodianus flavescens Mitch., Ph. Trans. N. Y., i, p. 421.

This fish is very common In the fresh waters of this province,
and is similar in habit to the common perch of Europe. It is
sold in the Halifax market during winter in small bunches of a
dozen each at the rate of sixpence sterling per bunch, but it is
not much esteemed as food.

Gunther, in his catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the
British Museum collection, states his belief, after an examination
of the skeletons of this and the European P.Jluvlatilis, that they
are merely varieties of one and the same species.

Its geographical distribution is extensive, — being found in
nearly every part of North America.

SCULPIN. — Cottus Grmilandlcus.

Cottus Grocnlandicus Cuv. et Val., iv, p. 15G.

« « Rich, iii, pp. 46, 297, pi. 95, fig. 2.

« " Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 16.

« « De Kay, p. 54, pi. 4, fig. 10.

« " ..Gunth., Cat. Fishes, ii, p. 161.

" Scorpius Fabr., Faun. Groenl., p. 156.

This daring and voracious fish is very abundant on our shores.
It cares but little for the presence of man, and will not leave its

2

deep red^olored variety .. f ""*;' ^' ^Tet;a ter^n.'
known to the fishermen ™f j" ,^;g t ^^,e toe after
The sculpin is very tenacious of hie, existing
removal from its native element.

NOKWAY HAX.x,ooK.-&fc«.<c. iVomaJcus. ,

...Cuv. etVal.,iv,p. 327, pi. 87.

Sebastes Norvegicus ^ . Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, i, p. 87.

" ** .'.".'..'.Rich., Faun. Bor. Amer., p. 52.

" " ..Storer, Fi8hesofMa8S.,p.26.

" V.V.".'.* " De Kay, p. 60, pi. 4, fig. 2.

'' .Gunth., Oat.Fi8hes,ii,p.95.

" ...Pennant, Brit. Zool.,iii, p. 226,

Perca marina • ^ Lacep., iv, p. 390.

Holocentrus Norvegicus........... .^^ ^^^

This beautiful fish, which ^^.^«;^"^^~

on our coast during winter and s^^"^^^' ^^s been

perhaps, during the winter seaso. As th« ^ y^^ g ^^

procured from the s^oma^^^^^^^ ^,,,

Halifax It - -- \^^^^^^ ,,,us several miles from shore,

fishing for cod it is taken o ^^^ ^ john-a-Dory,' where

and is known in the Halitax ^^^^^ ^ ^^^ jg ^^ever ex.

it sells at the rate of two pence ^- -^^^^^^ ^..^ic seas
hibited for sale in any q^anUty. rhe Greenl ^^^^^^

Cryptacanthodes maculatus ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^.^^^g^ ..j^ p^ 291.

I finlexample of *^'«^^ f -:::SV:!!^/Ci£'o:l^
,. heaa out of^.-» t ;«^^^^ bowns.

14th of Junu loul., «».. "-- X ^^ r-

:::f ;e:„t:f^i:^^^^^^ a HsMhrown ahout thel>oay,

8

but the head still retains its original plaster hue. Dr. Storer
appears to have been the original discoverer of this eurious fish
on the Atlantic coast of America.

The following is a brief description of the dimensions, &c. of
the specimen in my collection :

Extent, 33 inches. Depth at the deepest part across vent 2J
inches ; at caudal extreme, 9 lines. Diameter of body at base
of pectorals, 3 inches. Extent of head, 4^ inches ; breadth at
broadest part, the juncture with the neck, 4^ inches; depth, from
summit to extended bony point beneath, 3^ inches ; circumference
over expanded gill-covers, ll^ inches. Horizontal gape of mouth,
2| inches. Lower jaw 4 lines in advance of upper. Teeth conical,
two rows in lower jaw curved inwards and extending outwards at
chin ; four rows in upper jaw, the third and fourth of which are
incomplete. Palatines, armed with small teeth posteriorly. Lips,
wide, protruding from either side of divisional ridge to posterior
corner. Snout abrupt, indented at extreme. Two triangular
fleshy processes occur on either side of the nasal bone. Eyes, 9J
lines distant from each other, diameter 4^ lines. An elevated
bony ridge commences immediately above the eyes, and runs back
for 4 lines, then rising gradually to the summit of the caput 3
inches from chin-point, and descending again to post extreme of head.
A deepened pit-like depres'sion of the form of the eye occurs
behind each eye and a smaller pit between them in advance, situate
in the groove formed by the bony ridge above the eyes. The bony
ridges are distant from each other at widest part, 8 lines. A bony
elevated ridge also occurs in front of the eyes. Anus about 3
lines in advance of anal fin. The branchiostegous rays are much
inflated, causing the gill-covers to appear as if severed from the
head. The dorsal and anal fins are higher at posterior extreme
close to the caudal, the former having rays an inch long near its
termination, and its commencement partially hid in a groove. The
pectorals are 5 lines in extent, having a basal width of 8 J lines;
they are rounded, and the eight primal rays (with the exception
of the first) jointed about 2 or 3 lines from their tips. The
caudal is 2 inches 8 lines in extent, having a spread of 2 inches.

Mackarel.— >Sfcom&er vertialis.

K

.DeEajjp, 101, pi. 12, fig. 34.
. Cuv. et. Val., viii, p. 48.

« Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 41.

4

Scomber scomber Yurrell, Brit. Fishes, ed. 2, i, p. 137.

" " Owen, Osleol. Cat., i, p. 61.

« " Giintli., Cat. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 357.

As with the common herring of this coast, I have every reason
to believe that this fish is identical with the European species, and
must adhere to such opinion until satisfactory evidence is shown
to prove the contrary. Gunlher in his catalogue even includes
S. grex under the same head j but as I hav^ not had an opportunity
of examining one of this latter species, I am unable to speak as to
the similarity which exists between them. The shores, harbors,
and inlets of this province, particularly on the eastern and north-
ern coasts,'are annually visited by vast multitudes of the common
mackarel, some of which are smaller and others larger than the
medium-sized individuals. They arc classed by merchants and
fishermen as of three kinds: — No. 1, the largest and fattest; No. 2,
the medium sized ; and No. 3, the smallest. The habits of the
mackarel are very capricious : some seasons it visits us in such
vast abundance that the waters literally swarm with them ; while
in others, loud complaints are heard of their scarcity. Many are
the reasons given to account for this singular habit ; but no satis-
factory conclusion can be reached until accurate observers on difier-
ent parts of the coast take cognizance of the abundance or scarcity
of their usual food during the time of their visit, and also of the
temperature of the water, whether influenced by the warm current
of the Gulf stream, or the colder waters of the Arctic current.
Much remains for the investigation of the naturalist ere a true
solution can be given to the mystery which hangs around the peri-
odical appearance of marine fishes on our shores ; and it must ever
be a source of regret that some of our better-educated fishermen
do not put their knowledge of the habits of fish to advantage by
communicating any facts which would tend to throw light upon so
interesting a subject.

From the middle of September to the end of October appears to
be the season of the best mackarel-fishing on our eastern coast, the
larger kind being generally more abundant towards the close of
the latter month. About the middle of June the spawn is generally
ripe for depositing. Along the coast it is said that mackarel prove
poisonous to pigs, but I have no facts to verify such an assertion.
This fish is also supposed to be free from disease of any kind.
Some years ago a fisherman at Prospect near Halifax was spearing
for eels in raid-winter through the ice near shore, in the sandy mud.

6

and to his surprise caught a mackarcl which appeared half torpid,
and had its eyes covered with a filmy suhstance. Was this fish
hibernating in the mud, or what could have brought it into such
position at a time of year when its follows were supposed to be
away at some distance in the deep ?

To show the extent to which the mackarel-fishery is carried on
in our Province, I may state that in the year 1860, 49,748 bar-
rels of mackarel were cured by our fishermen. But this is nothing
in comparison to the total amount taken off the coast by United
States fishermen and others who resort to these grounds in the
season in their large and well-appointed craft, with more tackle than
our fishermen possess. Specimens of No. 1 mackarel often attain
large dimensions : one taken in the harbor of Port Mulgrave in
September 1861, weighed two lbs., and measured 17 inches in
length.

Tunny. — Thynnus vulgaris.

Tbynnus vulgaris Guv. et Val., viii, p. 58, pi. 210.

(I «« Yarrcll, Brit. Fishes, i, p. 150.

i( «< Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 47.

«* thynnus Gunth., Cat., ii, p. 362.

Scomber thynnus Don., Brit. Fishes, i, pi. 5.

ti <J Rissc, Ich. Nice, p. 163.

The tunny is very common on our eastern coast during the
summer months, and is known to the fishermen as the ' albicore.'
The Rev. John Ambrose informs me that it visits St. Margaret's
Bay regularly every summer, several specimens being taken and
rendered down for oil. They have been especially abundant this
autumn (1864) in that locality.

SwORD-FlSH. — Xiphias gladius.

Xiphias gladius Rissc, Ich. Nice, p. 99.

u » Guv. et. Val., viii, p. 255, pi. 225, 226.

" <« Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 51.

" " i DeKay, p. Ill, pi. xxvi, fig. 79.

«< n *....Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, i, p. 164.

The sword-fish is by no means common on our coast, and only
tnakes its appearance at intervals in our harbors and bays. One
was taken last year in Bedford Basin, at the head of Halifax
Harbor.

BOTTERFISII. — Gunndlus vulgaris.

Gimnellus vulgaris Nilss., Skand. Faun., iv, p. 200.

'< mucronatus DeKay, p. 153, pi. 12, fig. 3G.

« " Cuv. ei Val., xi, p. 427.

Blennius gunnellus Rich,, Faun. Bor. Amer., p. 91.

" «« Lacep., ii, p. 503.

Ceatronotus gunnellus Gunth., Cat. Fishes, iii, p. 285.

" " Bloch., Schn., p. 167.

Muroenoides guttata Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 65.

In the transactions of the Nova Scotian Institute of Natural
Science (Part i, p. 50) I described this species from specimens
forwarded to me by the Rev. J. Ambrose, who procured them with
the dredge, in twelve to fourteen fathoms water, at the entrance of
St. Margaret's Bay, in August 1860. I find that they are com-
mon on the coast, and afford food for the more voracious ground-
feeders. DeKay's G. mucronatus does not coincide in color with the
present species ; but as it particularly corresponds in all other re-
spects, I scarcely consider this variation a sufficient reason for dis-
puting its identity, as all ichthyologists are aware how many fami-
liar forms vary in the color of their markings, although beyond all
doubt belonging to the same species.

Wolf-Fish. — -Anarrlmas lupus.

Anarrhicas lupus Linn., Syst., i, p. 430.

(t a Fabr., Faun. Groenl., p. 138, n. 97.

u u Lacep., ii, pp. 299, 300, pi. 9, fig. 2.

a It Rich., Faun. Bor. Amer., p. 95.

i( u Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, ed.3, ii., p. 384.

(( li Gunth., Brit. Mus. Cat,, iii, p. 208.

« a DeKay,p. 158, pi. 16,fig.43.

<t 11 Nilss., Skand. Faun., Ir, p. 208.

«< maculatus Bloch., Schn., p. 496.

A very common fish in our waters, and perhaps the most vora-
cious of all. When taken from the water it is covered with a thick
coating of slime, which renders it difficult to be taken hold of. In
February 1863, when examining the Greenland shark {Scymnus
horealis) which had been taken by some of our fishermen, I observed
two of these wolf-fish, of good size, protruding from its mouth, the
shark having disgorged them after its capture.

Angler. — LopMus piscatonus.

Lophius piscatorius Linn., Syst,, i, p. 402.

i( u CuY. et Val., xii, p. 344, pi. 362.

I

7

Lophins piscalorius Nilas, bkand. Fuun., p. 245.

4, (( Guntb., Cat. Fishea, iii, p. 179.

II II Rich., Faun. Bor. Amcr., p. 103.

,1 K Storer, Fishes of Mass., pp. 71, 404.

« Araericanus DcKay, p. 162, pi. 28, fig. 87.

This is not an uncommon fish, although I have only hud un
opportunity of examining one specimen, which was forwarded by
the Rev. J. Ambrose from St. Margaret's Bay.

BeroALL. — Ctcnolahrus hurgall.

Ctcnolabrus burgall Gunth., Cat. Fishes, iv, p. 90.

u coeruleus ...DeKay, p. 172, pi. 29, fig. 93;

Crcnilabrus burgall Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 78.

Labrus burgall Bloch., Schn., p. 251 .

This species is known to the fishermen as the ' conner.' It is
abundant in Halifax Harbor during the summer months, and is
readily taken with hook and line by boys at the wharves. In the
summer of 1862, when the French fleet anchored here, the sailors
used to catch them in great numbers for cooking, but the inhabi-
tants rarely touch them. At St. Margaret's Bay, according to Mr.
Ambrose, they are given as food to pigs; but as the pork of these
fish- fed pigs always tastes oily in consequence, they arc generally
fed upon other food, and well dosed with sulphur, for a short time
prior to being killed.

Gunther gives as a variety of this species C. uninotatus, which
is taken in our harbor in company with the former. It differs in
having a black spot on the base of the two anterior soft dorsal rays.
PeKay makes it a distinct species.

PiPE-FlSH. — Fistularia ?

A very fine specimen of this genus was taken on the 16th of
September 1863, at Portuguese Cove, near Halifax. As I had only
an opportunity of examining it for a few minutes after its purchase
by a tradesman, the following very deficient description was all
I could draw up at the time. It did not resemble very closely
the F. verrata of Storer and DeKay, nor could I identify it with
the F. tahacaria of the latter author, although the orbital pro-
cesses corresponded. It was of greater size than either of the speci-
mens mentioned by DeKay and Storer, and may possibly prove
new to the Nova-Seotian fauna.

Description.— Extent from frontal extreme to caudal termina-
tion, 31 inches ; from frontal extreme to base of snout immediately

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anterior to eye cup, 7 inches ; from frontal extreme to eonuncnco-
ment of dorsal, 24 inches 2 lines ; from frontal extreme to posterior
cdj^o of opcrclc, 10 inches ; from pectorals to vcntrals, 4 inches 7
lines; from vcntrals to anal, 8 inches 8 linos; from anal to caudal,
4 inches 1 lino; breadth at fifteen inches from frontal extreme, 1
inch 7^ lines; over pectorals, 1 inch ; over dorsal, 1 inch 2 lines ;
over caudal base, 4 linos ; vertical base of caudal extreme, 3^ lines ;
width of mouth over base of snout, 5 lines.

Head :— Width over eyes, 8 lines ; vertical depth over eyes, 1)
lines. Two bony processes at anterior occipital angle of eye cup.

Mouth : — Vertical gape, 1 inch ; horizontal gape, 7^ lines ;
armed with small teeth on vomer and jaws ; lower jaw 2 lines in
advance of upper.

Eyes : — Lateral diameter, 10 lines ; vertical diameter, 5 lines.

Fins :— Pectoral; diameter at base, 7^ lines. Dorsal ; diameter
at base, 1 inch 2^ lines. Vcntrals ; extent, 9 lines ; diameter at
base, 3 lines. Anal ; diameter at base, 1 inch 2>\ lines. Caudal ;
extent, 1 inch 7^ lines ; caudal filament broken off 1 inch 7^ lines
from base.

Color:— Above, reddish brown; beneath, cupreous, longitudi-
nally lined with \^\i\ic.— Communicated hj the Natural History
Society of [67. Johti\ New Brunswick.

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