A Few Fish Freaks 



G. T. K. Norton 



Comparatively little is known or taught of fish. Text books do 

 not deal very completely with them unless a special course is taken 

 and, as we can not breathe water, it is rather difficult to study them 

 in their natural surroundings. We have all visited aquariums and 

 fish markets so coming to know a few specimens upon sight, never- 

 theless the under water family has many members worthy of our 



Courtesy N. Y. Zoological Society 

 Fig. i — Yellow Fin Grouper. N. Y. Aquarium 



notice which not only furnish amusement but teach their little 

 lesson. 



The Tilefish, a new deep-sea food fish which the Government is 

 pushing as palatable and inexpensive, has a most interesting his- 

 tory; the discover} 7 , the almost complete extermination, and the 

 rapid reestablishment of this large, handsome and valuable species, 

 all within fifteen years, is one of the wonderful feats of marine 

 biology. 



The discovery was made in May, 1879, by a fisherman while 

 fishing near the hundred-fathom curve, south of Nantucket He 

 sent some of the "strange and handsomely colored fish" to the 



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