[39] HISTORY OF THE TII.E-FISH. 275 



I have been told by fishermen that they have seen large numbers of 

 cod floating upon the surface of the water on the coast of Labrador, 

 when several icebergs, drifting into a small bay, has caused a verj^ de- 

 cided and sudden fall in the temperature of the water. Such fish as 

 were in the bay would soon become entirely helpless, and drift which- 

 ever way the winds or currents carried them, unless, indeed, as was 

 often the case, many of them were picked up and carried on board of 

 the vessels by the fishermen. Captain Kirby says that on one occa- 

 sion, when he was at Cape Charles Harbor, on the coast of Labrador, 

 about the 1st of August, 1876, he saw an immense number of codfish 

 floating at the surface of the water, and spreading over an area of at 

 least from 4 to 6 square miles. More than 300 quintals were picked up 

 and cured by the local fishermen. At the time these fish were seen an 

 unusual number of icebergs were grounded in the vicinity. As many 

 as seven or eight large bergs were within an area of 4 or 5 miles, 

 " while," says Captain Kirby, "we counted forty bergs one day while 

 standing on the hills of Cape Charles." 



The fishermen were of the opinion that the excessive coldness of the 

 water, caused by the proximity of so much ice, had killed the fish, and 

 no doubt they were right. 



A similar phenomenon has been observed on the coast of Northern 

 Europe, which also occurred to the Gaclidce. Though no special cause 

 is assigned, it may be, and possibly was, due to some sudden change in 

 temperature. In a letter addressed to Sir John Sinclair, cited by Mil- 

 nerin his Gallery of Nature, the statement occurs that on the 4th of 

 December, 1789, the ship Brothers arrived at Leith from Archangel, 

 audits captain rejjorted "that on the coast of Lapland and Norway he 

 sailed many leagues through immense quantities of dead haddocks," 

 and " he spoke several English ships which reported the same fact." 

 It is also stated bj' the writer that haddock, which was the fish in 

 greatest abundance in the Edinburgh market, was scarcely seen for 

 three years. 



The following letter from Brigadier-General R. B. Marly, U. S. A., to 

 Professor Baird is of very great interest in this connection, showing, as 

 it does, how the destruction of great multitudes of fish, as well as other 

 marine animals, may occur in the southern waters by reason of a sudden 

 change of temperature, caused only by the prevalence of strong northerly 

 winds, such as we have noticed as occurring about the time when the 

 Tile-fish were seen. 



" My Deae Peofessor : On reading a brief account of the fish that 

 were recently seen floating upon the surface of the ocean near the Gulf 

 Stream in a torpid or dead condition, and which I have not seen ac- 

 counted for, it occurred to me that I could throw some light upon the 

 subject, which the following facts within my own observation will show: 



" You will remember that our troops under General Taylor passed 

 the winter of 184u-'4C at Corfjus Christi, Tex., and while there we one 



