[35] HISTORY OF THE TILE-FISH. 271 



13. — SPECIES OF DEAD FISH OTHER THAN THE LOPHOLATILUS. 



That there were more or less dead fish of species other than the Lo- 

 pholatilus is unquestionable, though, from all the data we have at hand, 

 it is evident that the greater i^art of these millions of floating fish were 

 of one kind, and that of the species which forms the subject of this 

 paper. Nearly all of the observers agree in saying that there were sev- 

 eral kinds of fish, and especial mention is made of one having a brilliant 

 red color, considerable numbers of which were seen scattered about 

 among the larger forms. Fortunately, specimens of this red fish were 

 obtained, and it has been definitely settled that they belong to the spe- 

 cies Peristedium niiniatum. Just what proportion of the floating masses 

 this species represented can only be conjectured, but as it is a small 

 fish and has been generally spoken of as if it was seen only occasionally 

 or scatteringly, it seems probable that it formed only a small percent- 

 age of the great mass. Many of the captains thought that the fish 

 thej" saw were cod, and the captain and crew of the Navarino, wiites 

 Mr. Wilcox, " were quite sure a small portion of the largest were cod 

 and hake.'" 



The following clipping, evidently from the Boston Herald, date not 

 given, was sent to Professor Baird by Capt. S. J. Martin, and contains 

 essentially the same facts as those quoted from Mr. Wilcox : " The schoon- 

 ers Xavarino and L. R. Story report sailing through large quantities 

 of dead fish for a distance of about 150 miles, first striking them in 

 north lat. 38^ 40" and about 72.Jo west long. Captain Foss, of the L. 

 R. Story, reports the fish to consist of fully one-third part codfish and 

 hake, the balance being of the new variety, christened by Professor Baird 

 as Tilefish. Many of the codfish were very large, measuring from 4 to 

 5 feet in length." 



This may have been so, but is open to a doubt ; first, because the sea- 

 men employed exclusively in the merchant service have only the most 

 general knowledge of the different kinds of fish, and are scarcely able 

 to tell one from another, as may be observed by reading the accounts 

 which have been quoted ; second, Captain Rich, who I understand is a 

 Cape Cod man by birth, and very possibly has been a fisherman at some 

 period of his life, quickly detected the difference between the Tile-fish 

 and the cod, and, writing to Professor Baird, he says: "I see several 

 vessels have passed through them as codfish, but they are different from 

 the ordinary codfish." Nor does he mention seeing the " ordinary cod- 

 fish," though it is scarcely probable that so close an observer would forget 

 to call attention to the fact if he had noticed any of the Oadidce, all of 

 which are so well known to any of the New England fishermen. That 

 he would have done so is all the more probable, since he says, when 

 writing of the Tile-fish " When first seen there were a few redfish 

 [Peristedium] with them, but when we lowered the boat there was noth- 

 ing but the Tile-fish in sight." 



