In this volume are included all of the game-fishes of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, except the salmons and trouts, and the tarpon, jewfish, and other fishes of large size, which are described in other volumes of this series. As a matter of convenience I have grouped the fishes in families, whenever possible, but in their sequence I have been guided chiefly by their importance as game-fishes, and not in accordance with their natural order. The latter feature, however, has been provided for in a systematic list on a subsequent page.

In order not to burden the text with matter that might not be of general interest, the technical descriptions of the fishes of each group are given in small type at the head of each chapter; and that they may be readily understood by the lay reader the following explanations seem necessary.

The length of the head is from the point of the snout to the hindmost point or margin of the gill-cover. The length of the body is from the point of the snout to the base of the caudal fin, the fin itself not being included. The depth of the body is from the highest point of the dorsal line to the lowest point of the ventral line, usually from the base of the first dorsal fin to the base of the ventral fin. The expression "head 5" means that the length of the head is contained five times in the length of the body; the expression "depth 5" means that the depth of the body is contained five times in its length; "eye 5" means that the diameter of the eye is contained five times in the length of the head. In describing the fins the spiny rays are denoted by Roman numerals, and the soft rays by Arabic numerals, and the fins themselves by initials; thus "D. 9" means that the dorsal fin is single and composed of nine soft rays; "D. IX, 10" means that the single dorsal fin has nine spiny rays and ten soft rays; when separated by a hyphen, as "D. X-12," it means that there are two dorsal fins, the first composed of ten spiny rays and the second of twelve soft ones; "A. III, 11" means that the anal fin has three spines and eleven soft rays. The expression "scales 7-65-18" indicates that there are seven rows of scales between the dorsal fin and the lateral line, sixty-five scales along the lateral line, and eighteen oblique or horizontal rows between the lateral line and the ventral line. The number of rays in the fins and the number of scales along the lateral line, as given, represent the average number, and are subject to slight variation; thus in some localities the number of rays in a fin may be found to vary one or two, and the number of scales along the lateral line may vary from one to five, more or less, from the number given in the descriptions.

I have adhered strictly to the nomenclature of the "Fishes of Middle and North America" (Bulletin, U. S. National Museum, No. 47), by Jordan and Evermann, and in the main I have followed the descriptions as recorded in that admirable work; but in many instances I have depended on my own notes.

The suggestions as to angling and the tools and tackle recommended may be confidently relied on, as they are in conformity with my own practice and are based on my personal experience, covering a period of forty years, on many waters, from Canada to the West Indies, and from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains.

JAMES A. HENSHALL

Bozeman, Montana.

February 1, 1903.

SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF THE FISHES

DESCRIBED IN THIS VOLUME

• FamilySILURIDÆ
• Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque). The Channel Catfish.
• Family CYPRINIDÆ
• Cyprinus carpio, LinnÆus. The German Carp.
• Family ELOPIDÆ
• Elops saurus, LinnÆus. The Ten-pounder.
• Family ALBULIDÆ
• Albula vulpes (LinnÆus). The Lady-Fish.
• Family SALMONIDÆ
• Coregonus williamsoni, Girard. The Rocky Mountain Whitefish.
• Argyrosomus artedi sisco, Jordan. The Cisco.
• Family THYMALLIDÆ
• Thymallus signifer (Richardson). The Arctic Grayling.
• Thymallus tricolor, Cope. The Michigan Grayling.
• Thymallus montanus, Milner. The Montana Grayling.
• Family ARGENTINIDÆ
• Osmerus mordax (Mitchill). The Smelt.
• Family ESOCIDÆ
• Esox americanus, Gmelin. The Banded Pickerel.
• Esox vermiculatus, Le Sueur. The Western Pickerel.
• Esox reticulatus, Le Sueur. The Eastern Pickerel.
• Esox lucius, LinnÆus. The Pike.
• Esox nobilior, Thompson. The Mascalonge.
• Family HOLOCENTRIDÆ
• Holocentrus ascensionis (Osbeck). The Squirrel Fish.
• Family SCOMBRIDÆ
• Sarda sarda (Bloch). The Bonito.
• Scomberomorus maculatus (Mitchill). The Spanish Mackerel.
• Scomberomorus regalis (Bloch). The Cero.
• Family CARANGIDÆ
• Carangus crysos (Mitchill). The Runner.
• Carangus latus (Agassiz). The Horse-eye Jack.
• Trachinotus glaucus (Bloch). The Gaff Top-sail Pompano.
• Trachinotus goodei, Jordan & Evermann. The Permit.
• Trachinotus carolinus (LinnÆus). The Pompano.
• Family RACHYCENTRIDÆ
• Rachycentron canadus (LinnÆus). The Cobia.
• Family CENTRARCHIDÆ
• Pomoxis annularis, Rafinesque. The Crappie.
• Pomoxis sparoides (LacÉpÉde). The Calico-bass.
• Ambloplites rupestris (Rafinesque). The Rock-bass.
• Archoplites interruptus (Girard). The Sacramento Perch.
• ChÆnobryttus gulosus (Cuvier & Valenciennes). The Warmouth Perch.
• Lepomis auritus (LinnÆus). The Red-breast Sunfish.
• Lepomis megalotis (Rafinesque). The Long-eared Sunfish.
• Lepomis pallidus (Mitchill). The Blue Sunfish.
• Eupomotis gibbosus (LinnÆus). The Common Sunfish.
• Micropterus dolomieu, LacÉpÉde. The Small-mouth Black-bass.
• Micropterus salmoides (LacÉpÉde). The Large-mouth Black-bass.
• Family PERCIDÆ
  
• Stizostedion vitreum (Mitchill). The Pike-perch.
• Stizostedion canadense (Smith). The Sauger.
• Perca flavescens (Mitchill). The Yellow Perch.
• Family CENTROPOMIDÆ
• Centropomus undecimalis (Bloch). The Snook, or Rovallia.
• Family SERRANIDÆ
• Roccus chrysops (Rafinesque). The White-bass.
• Roccus lineatus (Bloch). The Striped-bass.
• Morone interrupta, Gill. The Yellow-bass.
• Morone americana (Gmelin). The White Perch.
• Petrometopon cruentatus (LacÉpÉde). The Coney.
• Bodianus fulvus (LinnÆus). The Nigger Fish.
• Epinephelus adscensionis (Osbeck). The Rock Hind.
• Epinephelus guttatus (LinnÆus). The Red Hind.
• Mycteroperca venenosa (LinnÆus). The Yellow Fin Grouper.
• Mycteroperca microlepis (Goode & Bean). The Gag.
• Mycteroperca falcata phenax, Jordan & Swain. The Scamp.
• Centropristes striatas (LinnÆus). The Sea-bass.
• Centropristes ocyurus (Jordan & Evermann). The Gulf Sea-bass.
• Centropristes philadelphicus (LinnÆus). The Southern Sea-bass.
• Diplectrum formosum (LinnÆus). The Sand-fish.
• Family LOBOTIDÆ
• Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch). The Triple Tail.
• Family LUTIANIDÆ
• Lutianus jocu (Bloch & Schneider). The Dog Snapper.
• Lutianus apodus (Walbaum). The Schoolmaster.
• Lutianus aya (Bloch). The Red Snapper.
• Lutianus synagris (LinnÆus). The Lane Snapper.
• Ocyurus chrysurus (Bloch). The Yellowtail.
• Family HÆMULIDÆ
  
• HÆmulon album, Curvier & Valenciennes. The Margate-fish.
• HÆmulon macrostomum, Gunther. The Gray Grunt.
• HÆmulon parra (Desmarest). The Sailor's Choice.
• HÆmulon sciurus (Shaw). The Yellow Grunt.
• HÆmulon plumieri (LacÉpÉde). The Black Grunt.
• HÆmulon flavolineatum (Desmarest). The French Grunt.
• Anisotremus virginicus (LinnÆus). The Pork-fish.
• Orthopristis chrysopterus (LinnÆus). The Pig-fish.
• Family SPARIDÆ
• Stenotomus chrysops (LinnÆus). The Scup.
• Stenotomus aculeatus (Cuvier & Valenciennes). The Southern Porgy.
• Calamus calamus (Cuvier & Valenciennes). The Saucer-eye Porgy.
• Calamus proridens, Jordan & Gilbert. The Little Head Porgy.
• Calamus bajonado (Bloch & Schneider). The Jolt Head Porgy.
• Calamus arctifrons, Goode & Bean. The Grass Porgy.
• Lagodon rhomboides (LinnÆus). The Pin-fish.
• Archosargus probatocephalus (Walbaum). The Sheepshead.
• Family KYPHOSIDÆ
• Kyphosus sectatrix (LinnÆus). The Bermuda Chub.
• Family SCIÆNIDÆ
• Cynoscion nothus (Holbrook). The Bastard Weakfish.
• Cynoscion regalis (Bloch & Schneider). The Weakfish.
• Cynoscion thalassinus (Holbrook). The Deep-water Weakfish.
• Cynoscion nebulosus (Cuvier & Valenciennes). The Spotted Weakfish.
• Leiostomus xanthurus, LacÉpÉde. The Lafayette, or Spot.
• Micropogon undulatus (LinnÆus). The Croaker.
• Menticirrhus saxatilis (Bloch & Schneider). The Kingfish.
• Aplodinotus grunniens, Rafinesque. The Fresh-water Drumfish.
• Family LABRIDÆ
  
• Tautogolabrus adspersus (Walbaum). The Cunner.
• Family EPHIPPIDÆ
• ChÆtodipterus faber (Broussonet). The Angel-fish.
• Family BALISTIDÆ
• Balistes carolinensis,Gmelin. The Turbot.
• Family PLEURONECTIDÆ
• Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum). The Flounder.