THETARPON 37 



clear that sharks do not destroy many healthy and 

 vigorous fish. 



In October and November, 1916, many thousands of 

 dead fish of all kinds were cast ashore on the West 

 Coast of Florida between Boca Grande and Marco. It 

 was estimated by Government observers that these 

 fish would have been sufl&cient to have kept the entire 

 State of Florida supplied for a year. Among them 

 were many tarpon. The Government made a careful 

 investigation as to what caused this mortality and the 

 results were published in the Bureau of Fisheries 

 Document No. 848 under the title "Mortality of Fishes 

 on the West Coast of Florida." Mr. Harden F. 

 Taylor, the investigator, was unable to reach any 

 definite conclusion. Such catastrophies are not un- 

 usual. In 1894, millions of tile fish were killed by a 

 sudden change in the temperature and the dead fish 

 covered an area of about 7,500 square miles of water. 

 It was estimated that about one billion fish perished. 

 A slight change in the balance of nature works havoc 

 among fish precisely as it does among birds. It is, 

 after all, catastrophic changes in natural conditions 

 which have caused the destruction of many species 

 formerly inhabiting the earth. 



For some time past I have been endeavoring to 

 ascertain the age of the mature tarpon, but up to this 

 time the results have been negative. 



The age of many fish like the herring, cod, hake or 

 eahnon can be determined, at least approximately, by 

 an inspection of the scales. If a scale from one of 

 these fish is examined it will be found to be made up 



