52 BULLETIN 150, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



were observed to catch specimens of Liparis agassizii with hook and 

 line in shallow water. The southernmost locality in Asiatic water 

 from which typical tide-pool species of Liparis have been obtained is 

 Simushir Island, at about latitude 45° N. It is very likely that 

 tide-pool species exist on the northern coast of Hokkaido. The 

 tide-pool species apparently extend 3 or more degrees of latitude 

 farther south on the American than on the Asiatic side of the Pacific. 



The deeper-water species have been recorded farthest south in 

 Asiatic waters. On the American coast none of the deeper-water 

 species are recorded as far south as the tide-pools species. The 

 reverse is true of the Asiatic species. The Albatross obtained specimen 

 of Liparis tessellatus at Station 4867, Japan Sea, 36° 31' N., depth 

 150 fathoms, temperature 33.4° F. This is at about the same latitude 

 as Pacific Grove and represents the southernmost distribution of the 

 genus in the Northern Hemisphere. ^^ 



We may account foi the difference in distribution between the 

 American and Asiatic species as due to the difference in temperature. 

 This in turn is governed by the warm Japan current from the south 

 and the cold Arctic current from Bering Sea. The warm current 

 flowing northward meets the cold current in the latitude of Hako- 

 date, 42° N., and is deflected to the eastward. It is cooled by the 

 time it reaches the American coast and flows southward at a lower 

 temperature. The surface temperature of the Japanese waters, due 

 to the Japan current, is higher than the temperature of the surface of 

 the California coast. This may account for the difference in distri- 

 bution of the tide-pool species. 



The cold Arctic current from Bering Sea cools the northern coast 

 of Hokkaido and makes veritable ice chests of the bottom of the 

 Okhotsk and Japan Seas. The deeper waters of Japan are cooler 

 than the waters of the same depth and latitude on the American 

 coast. The Japanese specimens so far collected are from colder 

 waters than the American specimens. The Asiatic species inhabit 

 the same depths as the American species but on account of the differ- 

 ence in temperature are enabled to find a favorable environment 

 farther south. 



The Okhotsk and Japan Seas offer a favorable environment for the 

 development of Liparids and when further explored will doubtless be 

 found to contain many more species. A temperature record of 29.7° 

 F., the lowest for the Pacific Ocean, was taken in the southern part of 

 the Okhotsk Sea at a depth of 64 fathoms. In the Japan Sea the tem- 

 perature at a depth of 150 fathoms is less than 34° F. and at 200 fath- 

 oms less than 33° F. Species of Liparis can descend to this depth and 



"Schmidt (1904) records a large specimen ol" Liparis owstoni" from the Nagasaki fish market. Where 

 this specimen was collected is unknown. 



