Definition of "phycis" []

• In ichthyology, a genus of gadoid fishes, typical of the subfamily Phycinæ, having a ray of the first dorsal more or less elongated and filamentous; squirrel-hakes. (noun)
• In entomology, a genus of pyralid moths, erected by Fabricius in 1798, and giving name to the Phycidæ or Phycitidæ. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

• "Again, Aristotle speaks of a certain nest-building fish, the 'phycis', and regarding this Cuvier fell into error (where once upon a time I followed him)."
• "The little phycis or black goby is an exception, as it spawns twice; the male of the black goby differs from the female as being blacker and having larger scales."
• "Other fishes feed habitually on mud or sea-weed or sea-moss or the so-called stalk-weed or growing plants; as for instance, the phycis, the goby, and the rock-fish; and, by the way, the only meat that the phycis will touch is that of prawns."