REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CXXXIII 



the salt-water and fresh-water species recorded from I^^ew York have 

 been taken along this shore. The number of species found by Dr. Bean 

 in the year 1898 was 84 ; to these may be added 79 others observed by 

 him during previous visits, giving 163 as the present known number of 

 species detected on this shore. A noteworthy feature of the fauna in 

 1898 was the absence of many flsh that had been found during summer 

 and fall in other years. Several species were recorded from Long Island 

 for the hrst time, among them the rough silverside {Kirtlandia laciniata) 

 and the red mullet {Mullus auratus). A finely-preserved series of speci- 

 mens was forwarded to Washington at the, close of the work, and a 

 notice of the results of the investigation was published in Science for 

 January 13, 1899. 



EXPLORATION OF PUERTO RICAN WATERS. 



Immediately after the acquisition of Puerto Rico by the United States 

 plans were made by this division for an examination of the coastal and 

 interior waters of the island for the purpose of determining the aquatic 

 resources, about which practically nothing was known. The steamer 

 Fish HawJc was assigned to the work, and sailed for Puerto Rico in 

 December, 1898, having on board a party from the Fish Commission, 

 Department of Agriculture, and Smithsonian Institution. Prof. B. W. 

 Evermann was in charge of the general scientific investigations, and 

 was assisted by Dr. H. F. Moore, Mr, M. C. Marsh, and Mr. A. H. Bald- 

 win. Mr. August Busck represented the Department of Agriculture, 

 and accompanied the expedition, at the request of the Department, for 

 the purpose of studying the insects, particular attention being given to 

 the scale insects which are liable to be introduced and become pests in 

 the United States. Mr. A. B. Baker, of the National Zoological Park, 

 joined the party to obtain live animals for the park and general natural- 

 history collections for the Smithsonian Institution. The inquiries as 

 to the economic fisheries of the island were intrusted to Mr. W. A. 

 Wilcox, of the Commission. The Fish HaivJc returned to the United 

 States about the end of February, 1899. 



The time allotted for the cruise was not sufiicient for a thorough 

 investigation, but the expedition was, as a whole, very successful. 

 Although the vessel was fully equipped for all branches of marine 

 research, the opportunity for deep-water dredging and trawling was 

 limited, owing to the configuration of the bottom, and most of the efforts 

 were devoted to the shores, outlying coral reefs, and short fresh- water 

 streams. The vessel proceeded first to San Juan and thence circumnav- 

 igated the island, stopping at all places where there was safe anchorage, 

 including Aguadilla, Mayaguez, Ponce, Arroyo, Hucares, Fajardo, and 

 the islands of Oulebra and Vieques. Frequent trips were made by 

 members of the party to the interior, to examine the ujjper courses of 

 streams, the most important being to Bayamon, Arecibo, Caguas, and 

 El Yunque Mountain. Large collections of fishes, mollusks, crusta- 

 ceans, corals, and other marine animals were obtained, and many new 

 forms were taken. The fishes were very abundant, and over 200 species 



