702 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



for the last time during the cruise. The results of these trials for fish 

 were very meager. A few common hake (Phycis chuss) and silver hake 

 or whiting constituted the chief part of the catch. 



On the morning of the 18th, at 5.30 o'clock, I noticed a large number 

 of small horse-mackerel (Orcynus thynnus) alongside, running with the 

 vessel. We immediately put out two bluefish troll-lines and caught 

 10 of the fish. Such of them as were not severely wounded we put into 

 the well, but some of them soon died. We had one of them cooked 

 and found it very palatable, the flavor resembling somewhat that of the 

 common mackerel. These fish were of uniform size, and, approximately, 

 about IS to 22 inches in length. Although they seemed to bite readily 

 at troll-hooks when first put out, it was not long before they refused to 

 take them, and all subsequent attempts at capturing others on hooks 

 proved unavailing. These fish exhibited a remarkable peculiarity, and 

 one which I have not previously noticed in similar species. While the 

 vessel would be lying to, drifting, they would remain around her, their 

 presence being detected by an occasional flash of white, as they turned 

 in the water several fathoms below the surface. But as soon as the 

 vessel was under way and sailing through the water, they would rise 

 near the surface and follow along on both sides, seemingly taking great 

 delight in chasing her, their movements resembling those of the common 

 porpoise or dolphin (Dclphinus delpMs); the chief difference being that 

 the tunny exhibited no disposition to "play" under the bow as the dol- 

 phin does, but contented itself with keeping near each quarter of the* 

 vessel. It may be remarked here (though somewhat anticipating the 

 rest of the report) that this school of fish remained alongside of the 

 vessel for two or three days and nights, following her with unflagging 

 vigilance, and with seemingly increasing numbers. For most of the 

 time when the vessel was sailing, many hundreds of these fish could 

 be seen on each side and astern, sometimes as far off as 200 fathoms, 

 running down the slope of a wave. Several were struck with the har- 

 poon, but our latest efforts to catch them on a trolling-line proved abor- 

 tive. Mr. Newcoinb saved the gills from some of the dead specimens, 

 parasites having been observed on them. 



The object of this cruise was mainly to ascertain if any tilefish (Lo- 

 pholatilus chamceleonticeps) could be found on the grounds where this 

 species had existed in such abundance prior to the great mortality which 

 occurred to the same in the spring of 1882. No tilefish were taken on 

 the grounds visited, and, so far as could be ascertained, by examination 

 of the stomachs of the fishes caught, there was a decided scarcity of 

 food suitable for the Lopholatilus. 



The attempts to catch the tilefish having now continued for six days, 

 and our researches having extended over a stretch of ground nearly 120 

 miles in length, where the Loplwlatilus was formerly known to occur in 

 large numbers, it seemed to me undesirable to pursue the investigation 

 to greater length, more particularly as our bait at this time was quite 



