MORTALITY OF FISHES, WEST COAST OF FLORIDA. 11 



It is assumed that the numbers are representative of the rehitive 

 abundance of these forms in life. The sizes of specimens would also 

 suggest that all true fishes were killed, regardless of size. They 

 range from jewfish of approximately 200 pounds to forms less than 

 k inches long. 



METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. 



The temperature of the water was around 75° F. until November 15. 

 On this date a violent " northwester " blew up, occasioning a series 

 of extraordinarily high and low tides. After this the temperature 

 was 65° F., and continued at about that figure through the remainder 

 of the observation period. Contrary to what might be expected, the 

 mortality of fishes did not cease after the storm. In this connecfnm 

 it may be added that the w^ind had been blowing constantly from the 

 northeast for several weeks previously and, after the storm, shifted 

 around to the northeast again. 



The water was olivaceous in color— about such a color as would be 

 expected from a mixture of sea water with the brownish water of 

 the rivers. Those accustomed to seeing the w^ater stated that during 

 the period of mortality the water was of a more brownish color than 

 usual. The wake of the boats' had an oily appearance, or was appar- 

 ently not so effervescent as that in normal sea water. It was further 

 stated that at the height of the mortality, on the Gulf coast, the water 

 was of an amber color (by transmitted light). This colored water 

 was described as being not uniformly distributed, but occurring in 

 streaks, and it was in these streaks that the fish are said to have 

 perished. A resident of the island described the death of a mullet 

 thus : 



The fisherman was following a large mullet in Tarpon Bay (partly inclosed 

 in Sanibel Island), intending to capture it with a cast net. The fish, at a depth 

 of possibly 2 feet, seemed suddenly to strilie a streak of the bad water, came 

 rapidly to the surface, flipped from the water, and, after a short struggle, ex- 

 pired. 



The exact spot, about 6 feet from shore, was visited by the observer, 

 but nothing unusual was noted. Several dead mullets were seen 

 ashore ; live porpoises and conchs were in the water. 



EXAMINATION OF SPECIMENS. 



On November 16 a mangrove snapper {Neomcenis griseus) was 

 taken by a boatman in a moribund condition. The writer first saw 

 this fish a few minutes after it had died, and he at once dissected it. 

 The blood was not yet coagulated, and, indeed, seemed less inclined 

 to coagulate than one might expect. The fish was not infested with 

 parasites, no lesions were noted, the gills were pink (perhaps too 

 red), the stomach contents were small fish, clean and constituting an 



