VARIETIES OF FISH TO BE FOUND IN THE MARKETS DURING THE DIFFERENT MONTHS.

JANUARY.

Live codfish [Gadus morrhua]. Haddock [Melamogramus agle finus]. Cusk [Brosmius brosme]; this belongs to the cod family, and although very little known, is an excellent table fish. Hake [Phycis chuss]; this is another of the codfish family, but inferior to any of the other varieties. Halibut [Hypoglossus vulgaris]. Small chicken halibut [Hypoglossus vulgaris]. Striped bass [Roccus lineatus]. Eels [Arguilla vulgaris]. Lobsters [Homarus Americanus]; very scarce, and in poor condition. Fresh salmon [Oncorhynchus chouicha]; these salmon are caught in the Columbia River, Oregon, all the year round, and are shipped in refrigerator-cars, and received daily in the New York markets. Frozen salmon [Salmo salar]; caught in the Restigouche River in July, and kept in freezers. Turbot [Platysomatichthys hippoglossoides], coming from Newfoundland, are occasionally in market during this month. Frost-fish, sometimes called tom-cods [Microgdus tomcod]. Frozen fresh mackerel [Scomber scombrus]. Frozen Spanish-mackerel [Scomber omarus]. Pompano [Trachynotus carolinus]; a few occasionally in market, coming from Pensacola, Florida. Red-fish, or channel bass [Sciœna ocellata], caught in Florida. Sheep’s-head [Diplodus pobatocephalus], from Florida. Grouper [Epinephelus morio], from Pensacola; a very good fish for boiling, somewhat like the red-snapper, but the meat is of a finer grain. Red-snapper [Lutjanus Blackfordii] has become a staple article in our markets during the winter. They weigh from two pounds upward, as much as twenty pounds each. It is good either boiled or baked, but most epicures prefer it baked. In selecting a fish, care should be taken not to buy one that weighs over eight pounds, as anything larger than that is apt to be tough and lacking in flavor. Shad [Clupea sopidisima], caught in the St. John’s River, in Florida, are to be had nearly every day during this month. Frozen bluefish [Pomatomus saltatrix], preserved by being kept in freezers since the previous fall. Herring [Clupea harengus], from Nova Scotia. Skate, or ray-fish [Plerroplatea maclura]. The demand for this fish increases every year. The American people begin to appreciate its many excellences. Probably the annual dinners of the Ichthyophagous Club, at which this fish is always served, have materially increased the popularity and demand for this fish. Rainbow trout [Salmo irridea]. These fish were first marketed during the winter of 1885 and 1886, and they are one of the notable examples of fish-culture, as the following brief history will show. Six years ago Professor Spencer F. Baird, then Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for the United States, received a lot of eggs of the rainbow trout from California. He presented five hundred of them to the South Side Club, who have one of the most complete fish-cultural establishments in this State. These eggs were hatched and the fish raised in the preserves of the Club, where they increased to such an extent that the Club decided to send their surplus to market, and they have become very popular, and sell readily at one dollar and twenty-five cents per pound. The open season for these trout is from April to September. Salmon-trout, frozen [Salvelinus namaycush]. Whitefish, frozen [Coregonus clupeiformis]. Pickerel [Esox reticulatus], weighing from half a pound to ten pounds each, are very good during the winter months. Wall-eyed pike [Sticostedium vitreum]. Catfish [Ictalurus punctatus]. Smelts [Osmerus mordax] are received from different parts of the East and North during this month. The choicest come from Maine and Massachusetts. Those coming from Canada are always frozen, and are inferior, and sold at a very low price. Green turtle. Diamond-back terrapin. Prawns, from South Carolina. Scallops. Oysters. The following are the best in this month: Blue Points, Shrewsburys, East Rivers, and Mill Ponds. Hard crabs. Crab-meat, fresh picked. Whitebait. Finnan haddie. Smoked salmon. Smoked halibut. Best boneless dried codfish.

FEBRUARY.

Live codfish. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Eels. Live lobsters. Fresh salmon. Frost-fish. Fresh Spanish-mackerel are found occasionally in market, coming from Pensacola, Florida. Pompano. Sheep’s-head. Red-fish, or channel bass. Grouper. Red-snapper. White perch [Roccus Americanus], from Long Island; one of the best pan-fish that is found in market. Smelts, green, from Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, and frozen smelts from Canada. During the latter part of the month very choice smelts are received from Long Island. These fish are large, and are considered the best of all varieties of smelts received. Shad. During the latter part of the month they begin to come from North Carolina. These fish are oftentimes large, weighing six pounds each, and in flavor are equal to those taken in the Connecticut River. Herring. Skate, or ray-fish. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Yellow perch [Perca Americana]. Pickerel. Wall-eyed pike. Catfish. Green turtle. Terrapin. Prawns. Scallops. Oysters. Codfish tongues. Soft shell crabs during this month are in excellent condition, and are considered one of the most seasonable shell fish in market at this time. Hard crabs. Whitebait. Crab-meat, fresh picked. Finnan haddie. Smoked salmon. Boneless dried codfish. Smoked halibut.

MARCH.

Live codfish. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Chicken Halibut. Eels. Live lobsters. Salmon, from the Columbia River. During the latter part of the month a few fish are received from Nova Scotia, weighing about eight pounds each, and are called Kennebec salmon by the tradesmen, although no salmon are caught either in the Penobscot or Kennebec rivers, Maine, until about the 1st of May. Large flounders [Pseudopleuronectes Americanus], suitable for making fillet of sole. Spanish-mackerel. Pompano. Sheep’s-head. Red-snapper. Grouper. Shad are abundant this month from North Carolina, and about the 25th or 30th of March they make their first appearance in the North or Hudson River. Herring. Skate, or ray-fish. Sturgeon [Acipencer sturio]. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Yellow perch. Pickerel. Cisco [Coregonus artedi]. Catfish. Wall-eyed pike. Green turtle. Terrapin. With the month of March closes the terrapin season, as after the 1st of April it seems to be universally conceded that the weather is too warm, and terrapin are not relished, nor does the palate crave them. Soft shell clams are still excellent this month. Prawns. Scallops. Oysters. Those known as East Rivers, caught on the north shore of Long Island, are considered best in this month. Crab-meat, fresh picked. Smoked haddock. Smoked salmon. Smoked halibut. Smoked mackerel.

APRIL.

Live codfish. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Chicken halibut. Eels. Live lobsters. Tomcods. Salmon, fresh from the Columbia River. Salmon, fresh from Nova Scotia. Flounders. White perch. Fresh mackerel. About the first part of April mackerel make their appearance on our coast, oftentimes in enormous numbers, and are sold in the markets at prices so low as to make them the cheapest food of the season. Spanish-mackerel and pompano are occasionally in the market from Pensacola, Florida. Kingfish [Menticirrus nebulosus]; a few come into market from North Carolina. Sheep’s-head, from North Carolina. Smelts; with the close of this month the fish goes out of season. Red-snapper are to be found in market up to the 15th of April. Sea bass [Serranus atrarius]; a few occasionally come into market from Charleston, S. C. Shad increase in abundance from the North and Hudson rivers. Skate, or ray-fish. Bluefish [Pomatomus saltatrix]; a few make their appearance, caught on the Florida coast. Brook-trout [Salvelinus fontinalis]. The open season for this fish commences April 1. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Pickerel. Cisco. Wall-eyed pike. Catfish. Green turtle. Prawns. Crayfish [Astacus fluviatilus] are found during this month in the markets; they are caught in the Potomac River. Scallops; with the close of this month they are out of season. Oysters are generally better during the month of April than at any other time of the year, but, according to custom, with the close of this month the oyster season ends. Fresh frogs’ legs during the latter part of this month are taken, and begin to make their appearance in market at prices of about sixty to seventy-five cents per pound. Codfish tongues. Hard crabs. Crab-meat. Whitebait. Smoked haddock. Smoked salmon. Smoked halibut.

MAY.

Codfish during this month is apt to be poor, as no live fish are brought to the New York markets. It is mostly fish caught off Nantucket and repacked in Boston, and from there shipped to New York. Haddock; the same applies to this fish as to the cod. Halibut is in excellent condition this month, both large fish for steaks, and small chicken halibut for dinner fish. Striped bass. Eels. Lobsters. Blackfish [Teutogo onitis]. Salmon from Restigouche make their appearance about the 20th of May. Oregon salmon continue to come during this month, although not in as good order as in previous months. Large flounders for fillet of sole are excellent this month. Fresh mackerel. Spanish-mackerel and pompano from Pensacola, Florida. A few come to market from North Carolina during this month. Butter-fish [Stromateus triacanthus] make their appearance in the market this month. Weakfish [Cyonoscion regale] plenty and cheap. Kingfish from Long Island make their appearance during this month in the markets, and are an excellent fish, growing better each month till October, when they go out of season. Sheep’s-head; a few make their appearance from Long Island. Porgies [Stenotomus chrysops], from Long Island. Sea bass during this month are abundant from Narragansett Bay. Shad from Connecticut is probably at its best this month. There is no doubt that shad from this river possesses a flavor superior to all others. Shad from the North River begin to get soft and are not in good condition. Bluefish; there are a few weighing one and a half to two pounds each in market. Squid [Loligo pealæi] This is an article of food that Spaniards and Italians think a great deal of, but it is very little used by American people as yet. It has been introduced to the American public by the dinners of the Ichthyophagous Club, which is composed of a few gentlemen connected with the leading newspapers, and some eminent scientific men, whose object is to cultivate a taste and demand for those varieties of fish which are not generally supposed to be good edible food. Brook-trout under the existing law come into market on April 1. Probably the finest flavored trout found on this continent are the wild brook-trout taken in the streams of Long Island. Cultivated brook-trout that are raised in ponds and preserves depend very much upon the character of their food as to what the flavor will be. Trout that are fed entirely upon chopped liver are usually flat and insipid to the taste. But trout that are fed upon small minnows or other fish-food, such as clams, larvae of insects, and small fish of any kind, are always more delicate in flavor. Salmon-trout and whitefish; a few are found in market this month, but during warm weather it is very difficult to obtain them in New York City markets in prime condition. Carp [Cyprinus carpia]. These fish are now making their appearance in our markets in considerable quantities, having been introduced into this country through the instrumentality of Professor Spencer F. Baird, late United States Fish and Fisheries Commissioner, some eight years ago. They have been distributed in nearly every State of the Union, and in the Southern States have grown larger, and are found in better condition, than they are in Germany, where the parent fish came from. The market is principally supplied now with fish caught in the Potomac River, weighing from two to fifteen pounds each, and are selling at present for twenty-five cents a pound; but in the course of a few years there is no doubt that these fish will be sold for from ten to twelve cents a pound. Green turtle. Frogs’ legs. Crayfish during this month come from Wisconsin. They are of very fine flavor, and are the best that are found in this country. Prawns from South Carolina. Crab-meat, fresh picked. Soft crabs grow more abundant during this month, and are in excellent condition. A very choice smoked fish is in season this month, called the roe herring, and by some of the grocers under various names, such as bloaters, Burlington herring, etc.

JUNE.

Codfish may be had, but not in good condition. Haddock may be had, but not in good condition. Halibut. Striped Bass. Eels. Lobsters. Fresh salmon from the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers, Maine, and from the Restigouche and other rivers in Canada, are very abundant this month, and are to be had at the lowest price during the season, selling oftentimes as low as fifteen cents per pound by the whole fish. Large flounders for fillet of sole. Blackfish. Fresh mackerel. Pompano. Spanish-mackerel. Weakfish. Butter-fish. Kingfish. Sheep’s-head. Porgies. Sea bass. Sturgeon. Shad from the Connecticut River are still in good condition, but with the close of this month go out of season. Bluefish are larger, sometimes weighing four to six pounds each, and are improving in quality. Carp. Skate, or ray-fish. Black bass [Micropterus dolomiei] are in season from the 1st of June until the 1st of January. This is a very choice table fish; probably one of the best of the fresh water fishes. Crayfish. Frogs’ legs. Soft crabs. Crab-meat. Whitebait.

JULY.

Cod. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Eels. Lobsters. Kennebec salmon. Pompano. Restigouche salmon. Large flounders for fillet of sole. Blackfish. Fresh mackerel. Spanish-mackerel. Butter-fish; this is a small, sweet pan-fish. Weakfish. Kingfish. Sheep’s-head. Porgies. Sea bass. Bluefish. Moonfish [Choetodipterus faber]. This fish is somewhat similar in appearance to the sheep’s-head, and is a very fine boiling or baking fish. Squid. Skate. Brook-trout. Black bass. Green turtle. Crayfish. Prawns. Frogs’ legs. Soft crabs. Whitebait.

AUGUST.

Cod. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Eels. Lobsters. Restigouche salmon. Kennebec salmon. Large flounders for fillet of sole. Fresh mackerel. Spanish-mackerel. Bonito [Sarda mediterranea]. This fish is sometimes sold through the country as Spanish-mackerel, but it is a very inferior fish as compared with the Spanish-mackerel. Crevalle [Caranx hippos]. This fish is sometimes sold as pompano, but is a very inferior fish, as the pompano is one of the choicest fishes that we have in market. Butter-fish. Tilefish [Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps]. This fish was first discovered in our waters by the United States Fish Commission in 1880. It is very brilliant in color, but the meat is very coarse-flaked, and somewhat resembling the haddock in appearance and flavor. Lafayette [Liostomus xanthurus], a small fish weighing about a quarter of a pound each, and a very desirable pan-fish. Sea-robins [Prionotus palmipes]. This fish is found very plentifully at this season of the year in the waters of Long Island, and was first introduced as a table fish by the Ichthyophagous Club some five years ago. It is a very fair pan-fish. Sea bass. Kingfish. Sheep’s-head. Porgies. Bluefish. Moonfish. Squid. Skate. Brook-trout. Black bass. Catfish. Green turtle. Crayfish. Prawns. Frogs’ legs. Soft crabs. White-bait.

SEPTEMBER.

Codfish. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Lobsters. Eels. Salmon from Nova Scotia. During this month the salmon advance very much in price, and with the close of the month fresh salmon caught on the Atlantic coast go out of season. Large flounders for fillet of sole. Blackfish. Fresh mackerel. Spanish-mackerel. During this month the Spanish-mackerel are in their best condition, being fat and of delicate flavor. Cero [Scomberomorus caballa]. A large fish, weighing from six to twenty pounds each, resembling the Spanish-mackerel in appearance, but not so fine flavored. Crevalle [Caranx hippos]. Pompano. Butter-fish. Tilefish. Weakfish. Lafayette. Porgies. Squid. Smelts make their appearance for the first time in the season during this month. Red-snapper are to be found in market this month, the first of the season. Grouper; a fish somewhat resembling the red-snapper in form, but of a darker red color, and similar in flavor to the red-snapper, and by a great many people thought to be superior to the red-snapper. Sea bass. Skate. Bluefish are in better condition, and in their prime during this month. Salmon-trout. Pickerel. Whitefish. Catfish. Wall-eyed pike. Carp. Green turtle. Crayfish. Prawns. Frogs’ legs. Scallops begin to come into market at this time, but are not quite so good as they are a month later. Hard crabs. Whitebait. Soft crabs are in better condition and of better flavor during this month than at any other time of the year. Moonfish. Butter-fish. Bonito. Sea-robins.

OCTOBER.

Codfish; during the latter part of this month codfish are brought alive to the market. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Eels. Lobsters. Blackfish. Columbia River salmon commence to come into market at this time. These salmon are what are known as the steel-head variety [Salmo gardneri]. They are not as fine flavored nor as much esteemed as those that are called chinooks, which come earlier in the season. Large flounders for fillet of sole. Fresh mackerel. Cero. Spanish-mackerel. Pompano. Weakfish. Kingfish. Sheep’s-head. Grouper. White Perch. Smelts. Red-snapper. Sea bass. Bluefish. Black bass. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Yellow perch. Pickerel. Cisco. Wall-eyed pike. Green turtle. Carp. Terrapin are caught during every month in the year, but are not considered good for the table until the weather is cold, and with the month of October are first used on the table. Crayfish. Prawns. Frogs’ legs. Hard crabs. Soft crabs are to be found in market usually up to the 10th of October. White-bait. Scallops. Redfish, or spotted bass. This is a Southern fish, and is somewhat similar in flavor to the striped bass, but not quite so good.

NOVEMBER.

Live cod. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Eels. Lobsters. Salmon. Cusk. Blackfish. Fresh mackerel. Redfish, or spotted bass. Grouper. White perch. Smelts. Red-snapper. Skate. Black bass. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Yellow Perch. Pickerel. Cisco. Shad. For the past two or three years, during the month of November, shad have been taken off the coast of Massachusetts in the nets along with the mackerel. These shad are large, weighing five pounds each, and are very fat and of excellent flavor. Bluefish. This month usually closes the bluefish season, but during the months of December, January, and February they are found in market, but always are fish that have been preserved by freezing. Masquallonge [Esox nobilier]. This fish weighs from four to twenty pounds each, and is of the pickerel family, and considered the most superior in flavor to all the pickerels. Wall-eyed pike. Catfish. Green turtle. Terrapin. Crayfish. Prawns. Scallops. Frogs’ legs. Hard crabs. Whitebait.

DECEMBER.

Live cod. Haddock. Halibut. Striped bass. Eels. Lobsters. Columbia River salmon. Large flounders for fillet of sole. Turbot. These fish are caught in extreme Northern waters. They are somewhat similar in flavor to the chicken halibut, but are black upon both sides. They are of a very peculiar flavor. Tomcods, or frost-fish. A small fish weighing about one-fourth of a pound each; very sweet, and a desirable pan-fish. Cusk. Blackfish. Grouper. Smelts. Mullet [Mugil albula]. A Southern fish, sweet and oily, and a good pan-fish. Red-snapper. Skate. Shad are received during this month from St. John’s River, Florida. Black bass. Salmon-trout. Whitefish. Yellow perch. Pickerel. Masquallonge. Cisco. Wall-eyed pike. Green turtle. Terrapin. Crayfish. Frogs’ legs. Prawns. Scallops. Hard crabs. Soft crabs. This is a different variety of crab than is found in the summer; it is very much smaller, and of a brown color; not equal in flavor to the soft crab found during the summer.