{06 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
some information from Mrs. Hoy concerning her theory accounting for 
the death of the fishes. I subsequently visited the towns of Manatee, 
Palmetto, Bradentown, and proceeded thence to Hunter’s Point, in Sar- 
asota Pass, Longboat Inlet being the farthest point south visited. Re- 
turning, I spent several days on Anna Maria Key, where I collected the 
skulls of several kinds of fish; thence, passing northward by way of 
Passage Key, Egmont, Mullet Key, and so on back to Clear Water. 
From Longboat Inlet round to Mullet Key, the dead fish were principally 
mullet, catfish, eels, and groupers, the mullet preponderating at least ten 
to one. Puff-fish, toad-fish, cow-fish, and frog-fish were still extremely 
plentiful; indeed, I saw no diminution in their numbers, though the num- 
bers of dead aialtee had increased very greatly. 
I saw many fish in every stage of sickness, from the first attack to the 
end, All were affected in nearly the same manner. The fish, apparently 
active and healthy, would be swimming along, when suddenly it would 
turn on its side and shoot up to the top of the water, gasping as though 
out of the water, apparently unable to control its motions, often lying on 
its side on the bottom for five or ten minutes motionless, then suddenly 
shooting hither and thither without aim or object, and finally ending the 
struggle on the surface and floating off dead. Whole schools of mul- 
let would suddenly stand upright on their tails, spouting water and die 
in five minutes. Gars would run for a long time with their snouts above 
the water, and then lie motionless, as if dead, for ten or fifteen minutes. 
These generally lived an hour or more after being attacked. I obtained 
specimens of water from various localities, which I send herewith, marked 
to show whence obtained. 
Before giving the statements of others in regard to the matter, I will 
give you the results of my own observation in a very brief manner: 
1. The dead fish were most numerous on the outside beaches and on 
the inside beaches of the outer line of keys. 
2. That dead fish were least numerous about the mouths of creeks 
and rivers, decreasing gradually as one approached such places. 
3. That the poisoned water was not diffused generally, but ran in 
streams of various sizes, as proven by fish dying in vast numbers in- 
stantly upon reaching such localities. 
4. That the fish were killed by a specific poison, as proven by the 
sickness and death of birds which ate of the dead fish. 
5. The fish began dying on the outside beaches first, as Mr. Strand, 
assistant light-keeper at Egmont, reports them coming up first on the 
17th of October, while Mrs. Hoy Shand them first on the 1st or 2d of 
November, at Little Manatee River. 
6. The examination of many hundred recently-dead fish revealed ne 
signs of disease. The colors were bright, the flesh firm, and the gills 
rosy. The stomach and intestines appeared healthy. 
In my haste I have neglected to state that I saw a good many dead 
birds during the trip. At Tampa, ducks were dying. I saw dead vul- 
