LXVI KEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



An additional amount of completed manuscript of considerable mag- 

 nitude has been delivered during tbe year to the Superintendent of the 

 Census, for publication in the Census Eeport upon the statistics of the 

 fisheries and fish trade of the United States, consistirig of Parts V 

 and YI of this report, as indicated in the analysis printed above. 



15. — SUPPOSED DESTRUCTION OF THE TILEFISH. 



Keference has been made in a preceding report to the phenomena 

 connected with a wholesale destruction of the tilefish {LopJwlatilus 

 ehanicBleonticeps), an important food-fish recently brought to notice by 

 the TJ. S. Fish Commission as occuring off the coast. The futile efforts 

 to find even a few survivors were recorded in the report for 1882. A 

 new attempt was made in 1883 by the Albatross, which proceeded to 

 the ground and devoted several days to using a well-baited trawl and 

 hand-line. She failed to meet with success, however, and for the pres- 

 ent, at least, we must give up any expectation of renewing our acquaint- 

 ance with the species. The search developed the remarkable fact that 

 the associates of the tilefish, which were formerly found in great abun- 

 dance at the same place, have either disappeared entirely or are repre- 

 sented by only an insignificant remnant. There is no theory that ac- 

 counts for these phenomena satisfactorily, although it is suggested that 

 it may have been due to an incursion of cold water from the arctic 

 region or of warm water from the Gulf Stream. It is not unreasonable 

 to presume that either of these conditions would produce an effect on 

 fishes living in an intermediate temperature. 



16. — THE POLE-FLOUNDER. 



The pole-flounder, which was one of the most important discoveries 

 made by the Commission in the earlier years of its work, continues to 

 be met with over a wide range, occurring in a greater and greater depth 

 as one proceeds southward. It is taken in almost every haul of the 

 dredge, down to several hundreds of fathoms. As an article of food it 

 is at least equal, if not superior, to any species of that family in the 

 United States. The anomaly of its being so abundant, and yet never 

 being taken except by the U. S. Fish Commission, is explained by the 

 fact that it can be caught only by means of the trawl-net, the mouth of 

 the fish being so small and weak as to prevent its swallowing a hook 

 large enough to sustain its weight when hauled up. Connoisseurs in 

 New York, to whom specimens were sent, pronounced it to be one of 

 the best of American fishes, and in every respect equal to the far-famed 

 sole. 



17. — THE BLACK COD OF THE PACIFIC. 



Among the fisheries of the United States, of much promise in the 

 future, but not yet developed, is that of the black cod {Anoplopomajim- 

 bria), a species not in any way related to the true cod. It occuts along 



