178 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



bly to the species ZipMus cavirostris, au animal for which no common 

 name exists, but which may be termed a bottle-nose whale. It is j)rob- 

 ably the second specimen ever taken on the coast of the United States. 



Ziphioid whales have a most interesting history. In ages past they 

 were very abundant, perhaps as much so as the common j)orpoise of to- 

 day, but at present only stragglers are found in remote quarters of the 

 globe. It would seem as if they were but the surviving relics of a great 

 race, which sprung into existence, reached the maximum of its abun- 

 dance, and declined long ages before man appeared on the earth. 



From Station :So. 20, at Fire Island, N. Y., Mr. Daniel S. Hubbard, 

 keeper, and Station No. 37, at Turtle Gut, X. J., Mr. Uriah Gresse, 

 keeper, came two specimens of a porpoise, which, unlike the cetaceans 

 which have been already referred to, is of common occurrence on our 

 Atlantic coast, and is probably also represented in European waters. 

 The casts, however, which the National Museum was enabled to make, 

 are i^robably the first of the species in any museum in the country, and 

 with the skeletons which were preserved form an excellent basis for 

 comparison with other forms. The animal is commonly known as the 

 bottle-nose dolphin, and is identical with or closely allied to the species 

 Tursiops truncatus. 



In addition to the shark previously mentioned several peculiar and 

 interesting fishes have been received. Among these is a fish known as 

 the " star-gazer" {Astroscopns anoloplms) from Station No. 6, at Deal's 

 Island, N. 0., Mr. Malachi Corbel, keeper. The "star-gazer" is a 

 southern species which occasionally strays northward as far as Cape 

 Cod, but it is very rare in museums. A very closely allied species 

 {Anolophus V. grcecum) is said to possess electrical powers in life. From 

 Station No. 2, at Point Judith, E. I., Mr. Herbert M. Knowles, keeper, 

 was received a specimen of the "lumpflsh." The "lumpfish" [Cyclop- 

 terus lumpus) as a rule is an inhabitant of colder waters than that in 

 which it was found. The " flute mouth " {Fistularia serrata) from the 

 same station is a very rare species on our coast. The "angel fish" 

 {Pomacanthns arcuatus) taken at Barnegat City, N. J., has not hitherto 

 been known north of Florida. 



Washington, D. C, January 25, 1884. 



91.— TFBIOHTS OF SALITIOIV TAKEN AT ITIcCr.OUI> RIVER STATIOIV 



IIV 1S80. 



By LIVII^GSTON STONE. 



The following table showing the weight of female salmon after spawn- 

 ing, was accidentally omitted from the report for that year of the opera- 

 tions at McCloud Eiver station. The average weight of those taken 

 August 31 was 9| pounds ; of those taken September 9, 8| pounds ; of 

 the entire lot, 9/y- pounds. 



