XL REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



and constituting an acceptable abode for the young fish. It was from 

 these waters, in great part, that Mr. J. Carson Brevoort, the eminent 

 ichthj'ologist of Brooklyn, N. Y., derived most of his material, which he 

 has kindly presented to the Smithsonian Institution. 



In response to repeated suggestions from gentlemen specially inter- 

 ested in the subject, it was considered expedient to cause a careful ex- 

 amination to be made of the different kinds of fish occurring in these 

 waters, and Dr. T. H. Bean was accordingly detailed for the purpose. 



On September 30 Dr. Bean wrote from Patchogue as follows : 



" We have enjoyed a highly gratifying day of collecting, and our list of 

 species now foots up 53. The Lookout has helped us to increase our 

 store by the addition of 14 species since it came in. The weather so far 

 has been propitious and everybody seems satisfied. I am sorry that 

 we did not secure the aid of the steamer much earlier, as we hoped to do. 

 However, there are several accessions now of which I feel somewhat 

 proud. We seined two examples of Fistularia to-day, besides a species 

 of Hemirhomhus (or Platophrys), and numerous examples of the ovate 

 pompano Trachynotus ovatus. Bairdiella is quite common throughout the 

 bay; so, also, is Synodiis fcetens. Two species of anchovy occur — one of 

 them very abundant — in the eastern portion of the bay, and the other 

 not moving so far from the ocean inlet; everywhere these little fishes at- 

 tract the bluefish, squeteague, silver gar, and other predaceous species. 

 The silver sides {Menidta notaia) are excessively abundant everywhere, 

 and serve as food for the bluefish. I have been somewhat astonished 

 to find one of the hakes {Pltycls temm) well distributed in the bay, asso- 

 ciated with the tomcod. The toracod is much infested, in some places, 

 with a lernsean parasite. Gobiosoma is very common. The tautog we 

 find in greater numbers as we approach the inlet, and the same is true 

 of the cunner. Young weakfish (squeteague) are universal, except in 

 shoal water. Kingfish [MenUcirrus nebulosiis) are sufficiently numerous 

 wherever we seine, but the young, from 1^ to 2i inches or more in length, 

 were taken in the surf to-day in larger numbers than I have seen be- 

 fore. The scup and the squeteague form the principal catch of the 7 

 pounds near the Fire Island light. Young sea-bass are much more 

 abundant at Wood's Holl than we find them here. The white perch, a 

 comparatively recent arrival in Great South Bay, is becoming gradu- 

 ally distributed, but we have not yet caught a single example in our 

 seines. Synodus J'cetens is a very common species here, reaching all 

 parts of the bay visited by our nets. We do not find young menliaden, 

 and the only ciupeoids secured are an occasional half-grown menhaden, 

 one hickory shad {Clupea mediocris) and one ale wife (0. vernalis, prob- 

 ably). The big-eyed eel is one of our treasures." 



14. — ICELAND HALIBUT FISHERY. 



In the spring of this year three Gloucester fishing schooners made 

 trii)s to the coast of Iceland to obtain flitched halibut and halibut tins. 

 The flitched halibut are cured by smoking, and the fins are pickled. 

 This is the first occasion of American fishermen visiting these grounds, 

 and is somewhat noteworthy as the result of the interchange of views 

 at the London Exhibition between our representatives and the Euro- 

 peans. On his return from the London Exhibition, Captain Collins com- 



