THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 295 



For collecting in the Bahamas seines are useful, but they should not be 

 too long nor deep ; seventy-five feet long and eight feet deep, with a fine-mesh 

 pocket, would probably prove of more service in the shallow waters than longer 

 nets. The Bahama traps are useful, but should be specially constructed of 

 closer woven wire than that used for commercial purposes. Dip-nets from 

 four to six feet square, held out by spreaders and baited with conch meat, were 

 found most successful in capturing beautiful fishes around the coral heads. 

 These fishes will nibble longer at the bait offered them on hooks without being 

 captured than any we have heretofore seen. The oyster dredge fitted with 

 netting did quite well, but the tangle bars for deep water were lost on the 

 several occasions used. This was much to be regretted, as many good things 

 were expected from this sort of fishing. 



The meat of the conch is much used as bait. The groupers, grunts and 

 the like are known as bottom fish and are taken by liook and line, while the 

 shad and jacks swim near the surface and are taken in nets. The so-called 

 " passing jack " or " black jack " is said to be one of the best fishes running 

 into Nassau harbor and other places among the Islands. They are taken in 

 large numbers in August and September by means of nets quickly drawn 

 around the schools. 



I would express my thanks to Mr. Joseph S. Lewis, of the Johns Hopkins 

 Medical School, and to Mr. J. B. G. Custis, both of whom were assigned to 

 me as assistants in collecting, and to Mr. Eandall, who had charge of the 

 launch. To Messrs. Augustus Willige and C. A. McKnew, assistants in the 

 Division of Fishes, thanks are due for help rendered in identifying the col- 

 lections. 



ANNOTATED LIST OF BAHAMA FISHES. 



The Bahama Expedition of 1903 collected some highly interesting forms, 

 Statlimonotus, Chriodorus and Verma having heretofore been recorded only 

 from Florida, and the curious goby, Oarmannia, indefinitely assigned to the 

 West Indies. So far as the list here given is concerned, I need hardly say that 

 it is very incomplete as a catalogue of the whole Bahama fish fauna, but I 

 have thought it best to confine myself at this time to the specimens at hand 

 and not give a list from recorded species and supposition as to what may be 

 found in the region under discussion. 



The ocean deepens rapidly at many places around the Islands and the 

 deep-sea fauna must be rich. Such forms as Gonostoma, Stomias and Echio- 



