BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 387 



" No such arraugement as the one under consideration exists in any 

 other country. 



" Its importance to the advancement of the knowledge of the larger 

 marine vertebrates cannot be overrated. Hitherto zoologists have been 

 forced to content themselves with examination of specimens of which 

 the stranding has been reported indirectly through the newspapers or 

 otherwise. In the majority of such cases the rapid progress of decom- 

 position has made it impossible to preserve more than the skeleton, and 

 so it has come about that the external appearance of many large species 

 is quite unknown. By the present admirable arrangement, however, 

 and the extension of our railroads, a specialist can be dispatched to 

 almost any point on the eastern coast in time to observe in a fresh state 

 any stranded animal which may have been reported. 



"Washington, D. C, ^'^ovember 13, 1883." 



In return for the services rendered by the Life-Saving Service, copies 

 of the reports of the Smithsonian Institution, and the reports and 

 bulletins of the Fish Commission, are sent to the Atlantic coast stations. 



Under date of November 13, 1882, a letter similar to that addressed 

 to the superintendent of the Life-Saving Service was addressed to Vice- 

 Admiral Stephen C. Rowan, U. S. N., chairman of the Light-House 

 Board. Under date of February 13, 1883, the chairman of the Board 

 addressed a circular to all keepers of light-stations, quoting Professor 

 Baird's letter, and saying : 



" Your attention is called to the letter addressed to this office by 

 Prof. Spencer F. Baird, U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, and 

 you are requested to render him all the assistance possible in further- 

 ance of the objects specified therein not incompatible with the perform- 

 ance of your regular duties." 



Very little has resulted from the instructions to light-house keepers, 

 as their duties do not call them to patrol the coast. 



WASHiNaTON, D. C, July 31, 1884. 



191.— UIS^X: OF l^IOHT IN SEA-FISHIIVO.* 



That light exercises a certain influence on fish is an ascertained fact; 

 but how far it operates to attract or repel is uncertain. The drag-net 

 fishermen have learned that, when there is much phosphorescence in 

 the sea, herring enter the nets reluctantly, as the light which the nets 

 produce by their movement in and through the water frightens the fish 

 away. The idea underlying the method by which light is utilized for 

 the capture of anchovies, of which more is said further on, is that its in- 

 fluence is more to repel than to attract fish. It is, however, not our 

 purpose here to pursue this question further, but only to mention some 



'From ]s!or8k Fiskei-itideride, Vol. Ill, No. 2, April, 1884, pp. 114-116. Translated 

 by Tarleton H. Bean, M. D. 



