LII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



14, — INVESTIGATION OF THE ALLEGED DESTRUCTION OF THE TILE 



FISH. 



In preceding reports mention has been made of tlie tile-fisli {Lophola- 

 tilus chameleonticeps), wliicli was discovered by Gaptaiu Kirby in May, 

 1879. It was described by the ichthyologists of the Fish Commission, 

 and subsequently specimens were captured by the steamer Fish Hawk, 

 August 8, 1880, and again in 1881. During March and April, 1882, 

 vast numbers of dead tile-fish were seen floating in the Atlantic Ocean 

 over an area extending for 38° 4' to 40° 25' north latitude and between 

 69° 50' and 73° 15' west longitude. Captain Collins has made a report 

 upon this subject, which will be found in the appendix to this volume. 



In order to ascertain the extent of this mortality, the schooner Josie 

 Eeeves, of New York, was chartered by the Fish Commission from 

 September 18 to September 24, 1882. On the former date, with Capt. 

 J. W. Collins and Mr. Barnet Phillips on board, the Josie Eeeves, Cap- 

 tain Redmond in command, left Greenport for the tile-fish grounds. 

 Considerable difficulty and some delay were experienced in getting a 

 supply of menhaden for bait. In the afternoon of the 20th a locality 

 was reached where tile-fish had been found in abundance during the 

 Fish Hawk's second visit of August 23, 1881. This was at 40° 4' north 

 latitude and 70° 30' west longitude. The next morning trawls were set 

 in 1()0 fathoms. Three fish were taken, but none of them were tile-fish. 

 During Thursday, Friday, and a part of Saturday trawls were set in a 

 variety of places — along a range of 50 miles — without securing a speci- 

 men of the fish under quest. The unpropitious state of the weather 

 prevented a longer continuance of the search. Captain Collins became 

 satisfied, however, that the tile-fish was not to be found in that region. 

 A full report of the cruise of this vessel has been made by Captain 

 Collins, and has been published in the Fish Commission Bulletin for 

 1882, Vol. II, pp. 301-310. 



After using every possible effort to reach a conclusion, the party re- 

 turned to Wood's Holl, reporting the entire absence of the fish on the 

 ground where, doubtless, a year before, hundreds might have been taken 

 with the same amount of effort. The search was rewarded, however, 

 by the discovery of a second fish of very excellent quality, belonging to 

 the genus Setarches, but closely related to the genus Sebastes. Small 

 specimens had been previously taken by the Fish Hawk, but these in 

 question, amounting, as they did, to several pounds in weight, indicated 

 their existence of commercially available size. 



15. — THE POLE FLOUNDER. 



It will be remembered that in previous reports reference has been made 

 to the discovery, by the United States Fish Commission, in vast numbers, 

 off the eastern coast of New England, of the Pole Flounder — Ghjpto- 

 cephalus cynoglossus. This is believed to be more abundant in that re- 



