264 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



in regard to tbe investigations tliat have been made with respect to tlie 

 Gulf Stream and the currents of our coast; but if I had the proper in- 

 struments, I woukl take the temperature of the water from the shore 

 to the edge of the Stream from Cape Florida to Jui)iter Inlet, 90 miles 

 at least, several times a year. " - 



I wiil try to capture some porpoises, so as to send the entire skele- 

 tons. I have the lower jaw of what I called a calf sperm whale. The 

 entire whale measured about 18 feet in length. I opened the skull 

 cavity and took out about two gallons of head oil. I saved nothing 

 but the lower jaw. If it will be of any use I will forward it. The jaw 

 is small, not much larger than a pori^oise jaw. I think some reference 

 was made to it some two years ago hy a man named Spencer, of Jui)iter 

 Light. 



I have never seen any seals on this coast. As to manatee, I think 

 that skulls and skeletons of them could be obtained from the Indians. 

 I have seen during the summer in oSTew Eiver, some 13 miles north of 

 here, quite a number, and about two weeks ago I saw three opposite 

 the station not more than 200 feet from shore, going north towards IS'ew 

 Eiver. 



While out on the reef fishing last week, I caught two remarkable 

 fish, something I had never seen before in these or any other waters. 

 They were a flat fish, weighing about three pounds. If I could have 

 saved them I would have sent them to you, but we are so completely 

 out of the world that nothing can be procured here in the way of jars, 

 alcohol, or any other preservative. If you would put something of that 

 kind here I would gladly save all specimens, and we find some queer 

 ones sometimes. 



BiscAYNE Bay Life-Saving Station, 



Miami, Fla., October 13, 1883. 



There is one other fact in sui»i)ort of my theory of cold water. In 

 November of 1876 I happened to be here at this place on business. I was 

 then living at Lake Worth. While here we had a heavy norther and it 

 was very cold, the tbermometer falling to 40°F. Ice formed in tubs and 

 pails on the second day. I i)rocured a boat and went out on the bay and 

 picked up about 50 pounds of pompauo, which were chilled to death. 

 The bay and the shores of the ocean were covered with fish of all kinds, 

 which acted in a similar manner to those I had seen off the coast. 

 About noon of each day, while the sun was hottest, no fish could be 

 seen, showii.g it was the cold. Of tbe many different kinds I did not 

 see one of our migratory fish. Tbej' could stand the cold. Of the fish 

 seen dead in tbe Gulf of Mexico, and which perished in the wells of 

 vessels, there were no migratory fish, but were all natives of the trop, 

 ical sea. Ilere the principal fish killed were mullet, a few barracudas, 

 snappers, tarpon, pompano, moonfisb, grunts, «&;c. It chilled the 

 crocodiles so that I captured one 5 feet long with my hands. Bis- 

 cay ue Bay is almost open to the ocean. Tbe warm waters of the Gulf 



