WEAKFISH, or SQUETEAGUE, a spiny-rayed fish of the genus Cynoscion and family It has no teeth on the vomer or palate bones, but numerous ones in the jaws, which are weakly in structure; the air-bladder has a horn on each side projecting forward. The genus is chiefly American, with about 15 North American species. The common weak fish (C. regalis) is one to two and one-half feet long, brownish blue above, with irregular brownish spots, and tinged with greenish and banded in the young; the sides silvery, abdomen white, and iris yellow; lower fins orange; a single row of very small teeth in the upper jaw and a double series in the lower; dorsals separated, and the second, with the caudal and anal, mostly covered with scales. This is one of the most abundant fishes along the entire Atlantic Coast from Cape Cod to Florida, but there have been times when the invasions of bluefish have driven them from parts of the coast. The name originated from the little re sistance it makes when taken, and from the ease with which the delicate structure of the mouth enables it to break away. This is the name most employed on the New Jersey Coast, while in New England the Indian name *squeteague is usual, and in the South sea-trout is applied to this and to the spotted Cynoscion. On the New
Jersey Coast it appears early in the spring, being most abundant toward the end of July, and dis appears late in the autumn; it is a greedy biter, and is easily taken by any soft white bait, af fording great sport for about an hour on the flood tide; it swims in shoals near the surface and requires a line slightly if at all leaded. In summer it is abundant about the mouths of rivers, where the water is brackish, and some times ascends far up, having been taken in the Hudson 50 miles above New York; it is taken by seines and poundnets in large quantities ; when caught it makes a croaking sound, also heard when the fish is at the bottom. The flesh is wholesome and well flavored, but so quickly gets soft that it does not rank high in the market. The air-bladder makes excellent isinglass for culinary purposes. The spotted weakfish (C. nebulosus) is conspicuously marked with round black spots above and the soft-dorsal fin is not scaly. It is more southern than the squeteague, and is sometimes called spotted trout Other related species occur in \Vest Indian waters and on the Pacific Coast.