[7] 



HISTORY OF THE TILE-FISH. 



Table of measurements. 



243 



3. — SYSTEMATIC RELATIONS OF LOPHOLATILUS. 



The Tile-fisli is a member of the family Latilidce, as classified by Gill, 

 and is most nearly related to the typical genus known as Latilus. Other 

 representatives of the family are Caulolatilus, Frolatiliis, and Finguipes. 

 These forms, except Lopholatilus, are more especially inhabitants of the 

 tropical and warm seas, but some range both to the northward and south- 

 ward of the equatorial belt. In detail, the genus Latilus is composed of 

 species found in the Chinese and Japanese seas. Caulolatilus is confined 

 to the warm waters on both sides of the American continent ; Prolatilus 

 has a single species, which has hitherto been found only on the Chilean 

 coast, and of Pinguipes, there is a species dwelling in the temperate or less 

 heated waters on both sides of South America, Lopholatilus is excep- 

 tional in its distribution, in that it inhabits deep water in a nearly uni- 

 form temperature of about 50 degrees, the variations, according to the 

 observations taken on United States Fish Commission steamer Fish 

 Hawk, being from 42° to 50° Fahr. 



All the other forms occur in water of comparatively little depth and near 

 the coast ; are apparently moderately abundant in their special regions, 

 where they are considered quite good food-fishes, as a rule, though they 

 do not -at all rival the Tile-fish in size. 



4. — HABITS; abundance; EXTENT OF THE LOPHOLATILUS BANK. 



Habits. — Comparatively little can be said of the habits of the Tile-fish. 

 The locality where it has been found is so rarely visited by our cod-fish- 

 ing vessels that it may be considered the merest chance that the schooners 

 William V. Hutchings and Clara F. Friend went there in 1879. Conse- 

 quently nothing can be learned from the fishermen beyond the accounts 

 given by Captains Kirby and Dempsey. Comparatively little, too, has 

 been learned by the Fish Commission concerning the habits of this species. 



