MORTALITY OF FISHES, WEST COAST OF FLORIDA. \) 



Begmning the next day, November 13, the writer spent three days 

 ill the vicinity of San Carlos Bay, with headquarters at Sanibel. In 

 this interval \vater samples were collected at various places in San 

 Carlos Bav and Pass, Pine Island Sound, Tarpon Bay, and Blind 

 Pass. Efforts made to collect bottom samples were successful only 

 in obtaining pieces of shell and fragments of a thin layer of lime 

 deposit which seems to cover the bottom in San Carlos Bay and Pine 

 Island Sound. Such qualitative tests as were made indicated a 

 rather strong alkalinity. On November 13 and 14 dead fishes were 

 in greater abundance, coming in, apparently, on the tide. On the 

 13th a census of dead fishes was taken covering 20 steps of the San 

 Carlos Beach, Sanibel Island. This census revealed 163 specnnens 

 o^^ fishes, of 26 species, and included neither the windrow cast up at 

 hicrh tide, nor those floating, but only those at or close to the water's 

 ed'^e. On the dark nights of that week the phosphorescence of the 

 decaying fishes made the beach visible for a long distance, and the 

 sand was so charged with phosphorescent bacteria that one's tracks 

 persisted for some seconds. Familiar fishes were identified by then- 

 own light. The odor was almost intolerable; people dwelling on the 

 island^ hauled away wagonloads and buried them in their orchards 

 for fertilizer. 



SPECIES AFFECTED. 



In all the region covered the following species were noted : « 



Spe-ies. 



Manta birostns'' 



Ocyurus chrysiinis 6. 



Neomeenis griseus 



Epinephilus morio >> . 



E. striatus 



Garrupa nigrita 



Centroprist •». ; ' 



Common name. 



Family. 



Devilfish 



Yellow-tail • 



Mangrove snapper ^ -., 



Red grouper berranidse, 



\\["\'."\[\.\. Do'. 



A?antidae. 



l.iitianidae. 



Do. 



Nassau grouper . 

 Jewflsh 



Whiting. 



Sci^^'Sos.is ;;.":::::::::::::::::::" I sp|5tt^ 



c:sp:...v;:;.. ;!::..: ::;::";:::.-..-■- i squeteaguec trout") 



Bairdiellasp.- 



Pogonias cromis 



Scisenops ocellatus 



Tarpon atlanticusb 



Caranx hippos 



Caranx crysos 



Selene vomer 



Trachinotus caro linns . . . 



Oligoplites saurus 



Scorpaena sp 



Mugil cephalus 



Hsemulon plumieri 



H. sciurus 



Bathystoma rimator — 

 Anisotremus virginicus . 



Monacanthus sp 



Do 



Scomberomorus regalis. 



Rissola marginata 



Scarus vetula 



Sand perch. 



Black drum ("drum"). 



Red drum, channel bass ("redlish ). . 



Do. 

 Sciaenidae. 

 Do. 

 Do. 

 Do. 

 Do. 

 Do. 



Tarpo?. 'J\±^I. 



Crevalle. 

 CrevalltU"sk;ip jack ") . 



Moonfish 



Pompano 



Leather jacket 



Scorpionflsh 



Mullet 



Grunt 



do 



Red-mouth grunt 



Porkiish 



Fileflsh 



do 



Cero; kingflsh 



Cusk eel 



Parrotflsh 



Carangidae. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 

 Scorpsenidse. 

 Mugilidse. 

 Haemulidae. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 

 Monacanthidae. 



Do. 

 S'ombridae. 

 Ophidiidae. 

 Soaridae. 



Time did not admit of careful 



a The identiaoations here represontei are, of course, open to question 

 study On the great majoritv of the fishes the colors had faded, of several species only badl^ 

 specimens were seen, and some of the others were quite unfamiliar to the observer. 



b Not seen by writer, but reported by fishermen and others. 



