290 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Eed Snappers and Pobipano. — I seud by express to-day a little 

 box containing a bottle of fine sand-worms, a bottle of siiouge-like stuff 

 ■which the red snappers are now feeding upon, and a few of the pompano 

 shells. During the past month the red snappers have not been biting 

 well, being filled with this spongy matter. We have not noticed the 

 same kind of food in such abundance before this, and 1 have had a good 

 chance to observe such things. A short time ago I had examined 450 

 large snappers' stomachs, and in only one case found anything but the 

 matter that I am sending. Snappers are rapidly becoming scarce. 



The " pompano shells " are the favorite food of the pompano. It is in 

 pursuit of them that the fish come in shoal water along the sea beaches. 

 The fishermen claim that when these shells wash ashore, pompano are 

 present. We are getting pompano and other shore fishes from Tampa 

 and vicinity. Other kinds, like the bluefish, have not appeared this 

 winter, but I think they will come back some time. 



Pensacola, Fla., March 8, 1884. 



151.— A CAL.IFORIVIA SAl,ITIOIV TAItElV IIV JAMES RIVER. 



By W. RUSSELL ROBII\SON. 



[From a letter to M. McDonald.] 



It gives me pleasure to report to you the capture on the T6th instant, 

 about 20 miles below the city, in a herring seine, of a California salmon 

 of pounds' weight. The fish was kept for me several days, but the 

 messenger not finding me it was cut up and sold in the market. The 

 fisherman bringing it to market did not know what it was, but it was 

 recognized by a fish-dealer who purchased it for $1. This dealer is 

 familiar with salmon, as he very often gets on order small lots of the 

 Atlantic salmon frozen from New York dealers. The pink flesh and fat 

 condition is mentioned by a gentleman who bought a part of it, and 

 the remains of the head place beyond doubt the fact of its being a sal- 

 mon. I do not know whether it was male or female. It appears to me 

 highly improbable that the only salmon entering the river should be 

 caught, and I have high hopes of others being reported. I have seen all 

 the important dealers, and ofiered controlling price for any other that 

 may come in. I hope to seud you a fresh specimen on ice. May not 

 climatic or other causes, as yet not understood, be the reason for such 

 a long delay in the return of the fish from the sea. Mr. Palmer and 

 our association are very much cheered. It is a pleasant break of the 

 monotony that has hung over the James River salmon (xuestion for 

 these many years. 



BXCHMONPj Va., May 26j 1884, 



