264 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES, [28] 



Uuited states Fish Commission steamer Fish Hawk while dredging on 

 the slope inside of the Gulf Stream. It was described by Prof. G. Brown 

 Goode, in Vol. 3, Proceedings United States National Museum, 1880. 



In 1881, the species was obtained on six difierent occasions, being 

 taken on muddy or sandy bottom, in depths varying from 09 to 15C 

 fathoms, and in an area between 39o to 40° N. latitude, and 70° to 73° 

 W. longitude. Ifone of these fish have been found elsewhere until 

 picked up dead or in a torpid condition, as believed by some, by the 

 mackerel fishermen oft' the coast of Delaware and New Jersey. 



It is a fact worthy of notice that even as late as the 1st of May 

 many of these fish, remarkable for their brilliant red color, were seen 

 drifting about, and such individuals as were secured ^ere found to be 

 in a perfectly healthy and sound condition. 



Capt. Amos Eadcliif, of schooner Charles C. Warren, of Gloucester, 

 while engaged in mackerel fishing on the 1st of May, some 30 to 50 

 miles southeast from Cape May, saw a great number of the Peristedium 

 floating upon the surface. He secured several of the fish in a dip net, 

 two of which he preserved in salt. One of these was presented to the 

 United States Fish Commission. 



Captain Radcliif says that at the time he saw these fish his vessel 

 was lying to, but from subsequent observations he judged they covered 

 an area of at least 5 miles in diameter. Over all this space they were 

 exceedingly numerous, and a great many of them could be seen all the 

 time the vessel was passing over that distance. 



How much longer these fish continued to "turn up" it is difiicult to 

 say. As late, however, as the second week in July the writer saw a 

 specimen which had been sent by Capt. I. F. Macomber, of schooner 

 Alice Tarlton, to the editor of the Cape Ann Advertiser, in Gloucester, 

 for identification. The letter that accompanied this fish, and which was 

 published in the Advertiser of July 14, 1882, is quoted in another para- 

 graph where it more properly belongs. No mention is made in it of 

 where the fish was obtained, but presumably it was found floating near 

 or at the same place where Captain Radcliff saw them so plenty, and 

 probably at about the same time. 



11. — AREA COVERED BY THE DEAD FISH. 



The lack of precision observable in nearly all of the published reports 

 concerning the points where the dead fish were first noticed, and where 

 they were last seen by the several vessels which passed through them, 

 renders the task of determining the area which they covered a some- 

 what difficult one. In most cases, however, this is not at once api^arent, 

 since the localities seem to have been carefully given. But a few words 

 of explanation will illustrate this point. We will take, for example, the 

 report of Captain Lamb, of the bark Elizabeth Ostle, which has already 

 been quoted. He says that " on the 21st of March, when about Go 



