360 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



M. THE TILE-FISH FAMILY, AND OTHEES. 



112. THE TILE-FISH FAMILY -LATHID2E. 



This family, which has some relations both with the perch-like fishes and with those of the 

 mackerel tribe, although until within a few years not known to occur within the territory of the 

 United States, is now coming into considerable prominence, and there is every reason to believe 

 that some of its members will 'yet grow into such favor and be found so abundant as to rank 

 among the important food-fishes of the United States. The most important is the Tile-fish, 

 Loplwlatilus chamceleonticeps, a form discovered on a hitherto unexplored ground, eighty miles 

 southeast of Nomau's Land, Massachusetts, in 1879, and in 1880 demonstrated by the explorations 

 of the Fish Commission to be exceedingly abundant everywhere on the coast of Southern New- 

 England, at a depth of eighty to two hundred and fifty fathoms. This fish, which is one of the most 

 brilliantly colored species known outside the tropics, is very remarkable by reason of the presence 

 of a soft dorsal tin, resembling that of the salmon, which is placed upon the neck in advance of 

 the regular dorsal fin, instead of behind it, as in the salmon family. Numerous specimens have 

 been obtained, varying from ten to fifty pounds, and, although there has been no opportunity to 

 study the breeding habits, there is every reason to believe that it is resident in our waters in 

 precisely the same manner as the codfish. Its abundance is very great. Captain Kirby, of 

 Gloucester, who was the first to obtain specimens of this fish, caught in a few hours several hundred, 

 which he salted down like codfish. In September, 18SO, a small boat, sent out from the Fish Com- 

 mission steamer while it was dredging upon the " Tile-fish Ground," caught twelve large individuals 

 on one short Hue, the aggregate weight of which cannot have been less than two hundred and fifty 

 pounds. They were tasted at the ward-room table and the flesh was found to be fine-grained and 

 delicate in flavor, resembling in some respects that of the cod, in others, that of the striped buss. 



The liabits and food of this fish are probably very similar to those of the codfish, and the 

 ground upon which they are taken has been ascertained to be very richly supplied with all the 

 forms of small marine life which occur on the best cod banks. In time these fish cannot fail to be 

 the object of a popular demand, and the proximity of the grounds they inhabit to several large 

 cities will greatly enhance the importance of the Tile-fish. 



In the Gulf of Mexico there is a related species which has asyet no popular name, but which 

 has been described under the binomial Caulolatllus microps, and which is occasionally taken on 

 the snapper banks. This was first observed by Mr. Silas Stearns, who sent specimens to the 

 National Museum. As yet only five specimens have been brought into Pensacola, all in March 

 and April, 1879, these having been taken with hook and line in thirty-five fathoms of water off 

 Pensacola. These fish range in weight from six to ten pounds. It is not yet known whether they 

 are sufficiently abundant to be of commercial importance, though there can be no question 

 regarding their edibility. 



Another species, Caulolatllus chryttops (C. & V.) Gill, occurs in the Caribbean Sea and on the 

 coast of Brazil, while other related forms are known in China and Japan and on the west coast of 

 South America. 



