SCOMBER. 297 



migration, but on other controverted points among 

 naturalists, will in some measure settle the point 

 in question. 



.^t Sea— passage from Cadiz to Boston, Jan. 1832. 

 Dr Smith — 



Dear Sir, — Believing that any information, however hum- 

 ble or limited, respecting the habits and peculiarities of fish- 

 es, will, in consequence of your present occupation, possess 

 some interest for you, and also mindful of the request you 

 made last summer, I take the liberty of sending the few obser- 

 vations I have been able to make this voyage. I regret that 

 owing to the hurry of preparing for sea, I omitted informing 

 you according to promise of the time of my sailing, in order 

 to be furnished with large bottles, &c. for the preservation of 

 specimens — since, though I have taken a great number of 

 fishes, the greater part have unluckily been lost for want of 

 means of preservation. 



I have, however, saved the following, — two species of remo- 

 rae; one of the pipe or file fish ; a fine specimen of the mo- 

 noceros, one of the largest I ever saw; and a very singular 

 worm. Of the remorae, the common or black one was taken 

 from a large shark we caught, to which it adhered for 

 some time after he was on deck. The striped one was attach- 

 ed to the monoceros, and is, I think, the male, as the black 

 one is the female, of the species ; the stripes, which the liquor 

 has turned nearly white, were then of a brilliant yellow, the 

 body of an uniform dark ash color. At the same time there 

 was one adhering to the heel of the rudder, of similar appear- 

 ance, but near five feet in length ; he remained there several 

 days, although the vessel was sailing at the rate of six to sev- 

 en miles the whole time ; but all attempts to capture him 

 proved fruitless. 



The pipe fish appears to be a variety of the species brought 

 you last summer, the most remarkable circumstance relating 



