[37] CONSTRUCTION AND WORK OF FISH-HAWK. 3^ 



species. Sufficiently large collections of fish and invertebrates were 

 made to properly illustrate the fauna of the region. 



The three trips of the Fish Hawk to the inner edge of the Gulf 

 Stream slope, on September 4 and 13 and October 2, resulted in the 

 discovery of a new and exceedingly rich marine fauna, quite excelling 

 anything hitherto encountered by the Fish Commission oft' ihe New 

 England coast. In fact, the region opened up by these off-shore dredg- 

 ings may be fairly regarded as the most interesting and prolific of any 

 yet explored upon our northern coasts, both as regards the number of 

 species found and the abundance of specimens. Several hundred spe- 

 cies of both fish and invertebrates were taken by means of the dredge 

 and beam trawl, the larger share being new additions to the fauna of 

 Southern New England, and a considerable proportion entirely new to 

 science. The bottom appeared to be nearly continuously covered with 

 life, as the dredge and trawl seldom came to the surface without a load 

 of interesting forms, demonstrating that the region was eminently well 

 fitted as a feeding ground for fish, of which several edible species were 

 taken by the Fish Hawk. 



Attention was first called to this region in the winter of 1878-79, by 

 the discovery there of a new species of food-fish — the so-called tile fish 

 {Lopholatilus chamcpJeonticeps Goode and Bean) — by a Gloucester fishing 

 schooner, commanded by Captain Kirby. This fish, which is quite un- 

 like any other species occurring on the New England coast, ranges in 

 size very much like the cod, specimens having been taken weighing all 

 the way from 3 to 60 pounds. Its flesh is white and firm in texture, and 

 by many who have tried it is considered good eating. It can be salted 

 and dried like the cod. 



The main object of the Fish Hawk, in visiting this section of the Gulf 

 Stream slope, was to ascertain the distribution and abundance of the 

 tile fish, and the character of its feeding grounds, which, as stated above, 

 were found to be very rich. A comparison of the various animals ob- 

 tained from there with those brought in by the Gloucester fishermen 

 from the great fishing banks off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland indi- 

 cates that a close resemblance exists between these two regions, and very 

 many of the species of animals are identical in both. As the tile fish 

 cannot be taken in the dredges and beam trawls commonly used in ex- 

 ploring the sea bottom, an ordinary cod trawl-line, with several hundred 

 hooks, baited with menhaden, was set for about an hour in 100 fathoms 

 of water, on one of the trips, and three fine specimens secured, together 

 with other species of bottom-feeding fish. Otherwise, the natural his- 

 tory investigations were conducted entirely by means of the dredge 

 and beam trawl. 



The bottom in the region exj^lored, which, beyond the 75 to 100 fathom 

 line, forms quite a rapid slope, differs considerably in character in dif- 

 ferent localities. In some places it has a smooth surface, formed of fine 

 compact sand, with more or less mud and fragments of shells, and some- 



