New York, February 26, 1917. No. 40 



- if. 



OFER 



-*\1 





Published to advance the Science of cold-blooded vertebrates 



FURTHER NOTES ON ERILEPIS, THE 



GIANT BASS-LIKE FISH OF THE 



NORTH PACIFIC. 



In Copeia for April 24, 1916, (No. 30) the writer 

 noted the second occurrence of Erilepis zonifer 

 (Lockington) in the North Pacific. Since then 

 several interesting facts have come to light concern- 

 ing this huge fish that have modified what was pre- 

 viously said. It is especially noteworthy that there 

 is no special reason for believing the fish a stray 

 from Japan, as has been conjectured. 



According to one of the fishermen, the specimen 

 already recorded had been taken in "Southeastern 

 Alaska, in one of the long inland straits which form 

 the inland passage, either in Frederick Sound or 

 Chatham Straits." The captain of the halibut 

 schooner, however, when seen at a later date stated 

 positively that the specimen was taken off the western 

 coast of the Queen Charlottes, near the northern end. 

 His record is undoubtedly correct, and it is evident 

 that Erilepis was taken on the continental shelf, 

 rather than in enclosed waters. 



While in Vancouver during November, at the 

 plant of the Canadian Fishing Company, the writer 

 was shown two other specimens of this fish. Under 



