262 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [26] 



This, it was supposed, corai)lete(l the history of this wonderful event, 

 and the excitement and interest that had been created by this spectacle 

 of thousands of square miles of the sea covered with dead fish it was 

 scarcely exx)ected would be revivetl. Mr. Barnet Phillips, of the Nev 

 York Times, a gentleman much interested in all matters pertaining to 

 the scientific study of the fishes, impressed with this idea, collected as 

 full a list as he could of the vessels which had sailed through the float- 

 ing fish and sent it to Professor Baird. 



Below is the list and other data sent by Mr. Phillips : 



Bark Plymouth, arrived in New York March 15, 1882, found fish off 

 George's, March 3. 



Bark Montreal, arrived in New York March 13, 1882, found fish off 

 George's. 



Steamship Bella, arrived in New York March 21, 1882, found fish 60 

 miles south of Barnegat on the 20th of March. 



Ship British America, arrived in New York March 21, 1882, found fish 

 45 miles south of Shinnecock on March 20. 



Bark Elizabeth Ostle, arrived in New York March 23, 1882, found fish 

 in latitude 39° 7' on March 21. (Reported in full in New York Times.) 



Bark Sidon, arrived in Boston March 21, 1882, found fish in latitude 

 40°, longitude 71°, on the 14tli of March.* 



But, strange to say, about a month after the events related above, 

 and just two weeks subsequent to the date of Mr. Phillips's letter, dead 

 fish were found floating off the capes of Virginia, by some of the Glou- 

 cester mackerel schooners, and specimens of these were secured and 

 brought intoNewYorkby the fishermen, many of whom have for several 

 years shown much interest and enthusiasm in collecting material that 

 they think may aid Professor Baird in his scientific research of Ameri- 

 can waters. 



The New York Times of April 22, 1882, thus describes the arrival of 

 these specimens in New York : 



" Yesterday the New York State fish commissioner, Mr. E. G. Black- 

 ford, ha<l on exhibition one of the largest of Tile-fish which has yet come 

 to hand. It weighed, Avhen gutted, 43 pounds, and was, when entire, a 

 bigger fish than the one caught by Captain Kirby some few years ago. 

 The fish, with its peculiar large head, its nuchal crest. — that long adi- 

 pose fin projecting from its nape — was of a violet tinge with marked 

 yellow patches. This fish was taken by Captain McLain, of the schooner 

 Herald of the Morning, on Thursday, in latitude 37° 29' and longitude 

 74°, some 85 miles from the capes of Virginia. The fish was floating on 

 the surface of the water, belly upward, and was taken by a gaff and 



* As will be seen this list includes the names and other important data concerning 

 three vessels which we have not been able to secure elsewhere, and its value is cor- 

 respondingly great. It enables us to fix more accurately the area covered by the 

 dead lish and also to determine with more definiteness than we otherwise could the 

 limits of time during which this mortality iirevailed. 



