FOREST AND STREAM 
83 
condition, you will have fore sport so far as numbers are concerned. 
When this becomes monotonous, go down to the falls—abont a mile be¬ 
low the point, at which the road strikes the river. Here you will And 
something refieshing in the way of scenery, and—if you follow the 
stream a mile further—something decidedly satisfying in the way of 
work. 1 have heard of large I rout being naught in this prut of the river 
but never caught, any myself. The atmosphere from .Tune to Septem¬ 
ber is both balmy and bracing—not to be surpassed, I think, in Us health 
giving properties, on any part of this continent. A confirmed dyspep¬ 
tic, who accompanied me, in two weeks was able to dispose of strong 
eoifee and fat pork to an extent astonishing even to the natives. 
For thoae whose main object is health, and who desire to banish utterly, 
for a few week, the cares of business, and the excitement of society, 
Hoy’s Wilderness is,just tbe place; hot for those who want an abund¬ 
ance of game, and the excitement of taking pound, or half pound trout, 
no poorer place outside Of civilization canid be chosen. Aj.f.x , 
atural %jktorti. 
[this Department is now under the charge of a competent Naturalist, 
Inaorsed by the Smithsonian Institution, and will henceforth be made a 
special feature of this paper. All communications, notes, queries, re - 
marks, and seasonal observations will receive cartful attention . ] 
For Forest and /Stream. 
BERMUDA. AND ITS FISH MARKETS. 
from advance sheets of “A Cataiogne of the Fishes of the Bermudas, 
based chielly on the collections in the National Museum. By G. Brown 
Goode, M. A., Assistant Curator IT. S. National Museum.” Bulletin of 
the O. 8. National Museum, No. 5. Washington: Government Printing 
Office, 1876, pp. 82.j 
VISIT to the Bermudas during; the mouths of Feb¬ 
ruary and March, 1872, afforded opportunities for 
collecting the notes and specimens upon which the present 
paper is based. The enumeration of species here attempt¬ 
ed, although uuneoessarily far from exhaustive, is believed 
to indicate, with some degree of accuracy, the character of 
the ichthyological fauna of the group, and it is hoped that 
the list, with its annotations, may not be without interest 
as a contribution to geographical 2 oology. Surprisingly 
little has been done by naturalists in the investigation of 
tbe marine life of this region, interesting as it is likely to 
prove on account of its isolated, mid-atlantic position, the 
peculiarities of its climate, and its proximity to the Gulf 
Stream, rendering so easy observations upon tbe influence 
of ocean-currents in the distribution of living forms. The 
ichthyologist finds here the best of opportunities for the 
study of pelagic and migratory species. A broad field lies 
before some resident naturalist who will do for the ichthy¬ 
ology of the Bermudas what Poey and Bleekor have done 
and are doing for that of the East and West ludies. Com¬ 
paratively little could be done in two months, least of all 
in winter and early spring, when stormy wealher rendered 
explorations of the reefs impracticable, and often pre¬ 
vented the fishermen from leaving their moorings in the 
harbors. At the time of ray visit, only seven species of 
fishes had been recorded from this locality; and the only 
authentic information regarding the fish-fauna was con¬ 
tained in one chapter, which was unfortunately very-short, 
of Mr. Jones' admirable little work, “The Naturalist in 
Bermuda,” 
TOPOGRAPHY OF THE ISLANDS. 
The general topography of the Bermudas is so well known 
that no detailed account will be necessary. It may not be 
out of place, however, to refer to those features which 
bear more particularly upon the homes of the fishes. The 
sunken atoll, which is the foundation of the group, is 
shaped like an ellipse, its major axis twenty-five miles in 
length, its minor axis thirteen. The major axis runs in a 
northeast and southwest direction, the chain of main 
islands lying on the southeast edge of the ellipse, and J'orm- 
|ing a nearly continuous line twenty-six miles long, the 
lower or western end curving, nearly in the shape of a 
shepherd’s crook or a fish-hook, to the southernmost focus 
of the supposed curve. The main islands, five in number, 
are separated by narrow channels, IlfLeen or twenty feet in 
depth, and their shores are deeply indented by shallow 
bays nnd lagoons. The reef, which approaches within a 
few hundred yards of the shore of the main islands on tile 
south, is distant on the north and northwest from five to 
nine miles; the intervening space is crossed and recrossed 
hv submerged reefs and ledges of coral limestone, and 
dotted in the neighborhood of the main islands by smaller 
islands and emerging ledges to the number of three hun¬ 
dred or more. The harbors are not particularly calm, but 
there are many broad bays whose surface the severest 
storms scarcely ripple. Within the encircling reef the 
depth of water rarely exceeds twelve and fourteen fath¬ 
oms, while beyond this reef the bottom rapidly slopes to 
the level of the Atlantic bottom. Twenty miles to tbe 
southwest by west are two or three ledges, to which the 
fishermen resort for line-fishing in fine weather. 
FISHERIES'AND FISH-MARKETS. 
The Bermudian fisheries have always been famous. A 
largo number of the poorer islanders, particularly the ne¬ 
groes, are professional fishermen, and are bold and skillful 
sailors, though their ambition only suffices lo keep them 
at work when purse and larder show signs of exhaustion. 
Every cottage has its little garden, where bananas and 
sweet potatoes grow for the trouble of planting, so that the 
fishermen are not entirely dependent upon their occupation 
for support, and the supply of fish often falls far short of 
the demand, and this is especially the case in tire winter, 
When the lauding of a boat is the sigual for a general rush 
to the shore. The people of Bermuda, over twelve thou¬ 
sand in number, are dependent chiefly upon the fisheries 
tor their animal food. Large shipmenla of cattle and 
sheep are received from the United States, but these are 
monopolized by the wealthier classes, and by the garrison, 
so that their flesh rarely finds its way to the tables of tbe 
negroes, vvho number over seven‘thousand, or of the 
poorer white colonists, who constitute more than one-half 
of the remaining population. 
The fishing-boats are built in the English style, drawing 
live or six feet of wafer, deep-keeled, sloop or schooner 
rigged, and usually provided with a large well in the hold, 
in which the fish are brought in alive, 
The only market is the water’s edge, In the large towns, 
Hamilton and St. Georgo’s, the quay is lined nearly every 
morning at sunrise by a long row of fish-boats. Tbe fish 
swim in the wells until customers are found for them; 
when one is selected, it is taken up in a landing-net, or by 
a gaff-hook, and quickly killed by thrusting a sharp awl 
into the base of tlio brain; it. is then bled, skinned (rarely 
scaled), eviscerated, and delivered into the hands of Hie 
purchaser, a loop of palmetto fiber always being attached 
for convenience in carrying. At an early hour the fares 
are disposed of, and the boats are under weigh for the 
fishing grounds. At almost any time, however, row-boats 
filled with small seined fish may be found at the quay. 
Thoae who live in the country-parislies watch tbe return 'of 
their neighbors’ boats at nightfall, and thus secure their 
supplies of fish. The price of fish is fixed by law at four- 
pence a pound, an advance of one penny having been made 
within a few years. 
Fish from such a market cannot fail lo be fresh, aud the 
excellence of the Bermuda food fishes is due to this, and 
to the fact that they are never allowed to die of suffoca¬ 
tion in tbe air, but are killed quickly and bled. 
The angel-fisli (Udlamnthm eiliaris) is perhaps the most 
highly esteemed; this species is found, also, in the West 
Indies, at Bahia, arid on the coasts of Mexico. It is partial 
to sheltered parts of the reef, where it may be seen lazily 
and gracefully swimming or Boating a few feet below tbe 
surface. Its'motions are very slow, and it frequently 
swims upon its side, or, slukiug to the bottom, swims per¬ 
pendicularly to the surface, where its bright colors flash 
for a moment as it floats broadside upward. I have fre¬ 
quently seen them grazing upon the Hlga-covered rocks. 
The angel-fish attains the weight of four pounds, and as 
far surpasses all the other fishes of the region in its deli¬ 
cious flavor as in its lovely hues. The largest I have seen 
measured fifteen inches from snout to extremity of soft 
dorsal. 
The gray snapper (Luijanus etuis) is next in rank; this is 
very common, and is distributed also throughout tbe Carib¬ 
bean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and, according to Qiin- 
ther, who considers it identical with Mesoprion gored inis, 
Cuv. & Val., extending east to the African coast. It 
breeds abundantly, and hundreds of individuals from four 
feet to four inches in length may be seen in almost, any 
sheltered nook. It is one of the most delicious of food- 
flsli, its flavor not unlike that of the blue-fish (Pvmatomus 
sallatnx). Its extreme canning renders it very difficult to 
capture with either hook, pot. or grains, and has gained it 
the soubriquet of “sea lawyer.” The market-name is "gray 
snapper." 
The yelting, or glass-eyed snapper (Luljanus ay a), the 
red snapper of the Florida Keys, is frequently seen in tho 
markets. It probably breeds in these waters, as individu¬ 
als of all ages occur; the largest weigh ten pounds or 
more, and are much esteemed as food. Its abrupt profile 
and large eyes give it a very sparoid appearance; to the 
latter feature it no doubt owes one of its p'opular names, 
a similar epithet being applied to the large-eyed Stteoste- 
dium americanum, the wall-eyed or glass-eyed pike of the 
great lakes and the Mississippi Valley. The name “yelt¬ 
ing” is very puzzling. 
The rock-fish (Truolropis vndulosus) attains the length of 
four or five feet, and is one Of the choicest of table-fishes, 
though Catesby declares that bis “rock-fish,” which seems 
most probably the same, “has the worst character for its 
poisonous quality of aDy other among the Bahama Islands." 
The grouper (JUpinepfielus striatus) is very common, and 
is found also throughout the Caribbean Sea and tho Gulf 
of Mexico. It attains an enormous size; and, on account 
of iLs abundance and the ease of capturing, it is used as 
food more than any other species. Its flesh is rather in¬ 
ferior in flavor, and coarse of texture, especially that of 
large individuals. Great numbers are caught off the 
islands, and are brought in the wells of the smacks lo the 
artificial ponds along the shore, where they are kept for 
the market, and are fed on fish and lobsters. Tbe young 
fish are called hamlets; but, after reaching a length of 
eighteen or twenty inches, are known as groupers; the lat¬ 
ter name is a corruption of the Portuguese Oartnipa,js hicll 
is applied to a similar fish found at Madeira. A great va¬ 
riation is apparent in the color of different individuals, 
which has not yet been satisfactorily explained, though it 
is no doubt due lo the depth of tbe water or color of the 
bottom in the place where they are taken, as is suggested 
below under Mnneacentruspunctatus. The fishermen claim 
that the color of individuals confined in the ponds changes 
from one extreme to the other within the period of a few 
weeks. I have myself seen very considerable variation in 
color in the conrse of a week in fishes confined in shallow 
fish-ponds. The young fish are always slate-color, and ate 
also marked with six or seven broad, transverse bands of 
light brown and a large quadrangular black blotch across 
tbe back of tbe tail behind the dorsal. 
The hind (Epin&phelus gutltdus) is readily sold in the mar¬ 
ket, where specimens two feet in length are sometimes 
seen. The name hind perhaps refors to the spotted mark¬ 
ings as similar to those of the deer. The name is found 
in nearly all the English West Indian islands, applied to 
tbe spotted species of this family. The hind is subject (o 
great variations of color, specimens from the ‘'white 
water," where there is a bottom of white sand, being nearly 
white, while others have tho ground-color, a dusky red- 
disli-brown. 
Tbe butter-fish is often seen, and is of much interest, 
although its small size and the softness of its flesh render 
it of little economic value. In this species, as in the pre¬ 
ceding, the range of color is very great; some individuals 
are orauge-yellow, with bine spots confined to the head and 
anterior part ot' the body; others are red, slightly dingy 
above, and thickly studded throughout with black dots, 
each of which has a blue centre. The sped mens examined 
were not very fresh; and. from the rapidity with which 
the colors change, 1 can readily believe that in life they 
were as brilliant as is indicated in the description of Cu¬ 
vier. The yellow form corresponds to Ihe typical Perea 
punctata or Eerranus guatirere, and is known as the butter- 
fish or yellow coney; the red form corresponds to Serranm 
oualalibi, and is known as the nigger fish. Prof. Poey sug¬ 
gests that the former inhabits shallow and the latter deep 
waters, and thus explains tbe variations of color. These 
would seem, however, to depend more upon the color ot the 
bottom than upon the depth. On the coast of Maine the 
bright-red variety of cod (Gctdus morrhua , Linne) is found 
only on bottoms covered wild red algte, such as Blilotu s&r- 
raia , Detmeria simtosu , and Mhodymeniu palmatu. The 
names butter-fish aud nigger-fish are in use also at Barba¬ 
dos, Saint Thomas, and the Bahamas, as applied to this 
and an allied species. The first refers to the color and 
soft, oily feeling of the yellow variety; the latter probably 
also to color. 
The chub (Sargys mriegatus) is very abundant, occurring 
in large schools in company with the following species, 
which it closely resembles in form nnd habits. It is 
strictly European, and is especially common in the Medi¬ 
terranean, but has not been found west of Madeira and tbe 
Canaries. I have carefully compared Bermudian speci¬ 
mens with Mediterranean specimens in the Bonaparte col¬ 
lection labeled Siitrgm Bondeletii. The chub is seined in 
vast quantities in Hamiltou Harbor and Other secluded 
bays. 
The bream (Pimelcptems Boscii ) is always found in com¬ 
pany with the preceding species, to which it is very like in 
size, shape, and iiabits, and is takon with it in large num¬ 
bers and brought to market. It is easily distinguished 
from the chub, as far ns it can be seen under water, by tbe 
large black spot just behind the dorsal, Tt, is also recorded 
from Madeira, the Canaries, Jamaica, and Cuba. A single 
specimen was taken in the spring of 1873, at Staten Island, 
New Yorlc Harbor, by Mr. C. L. Copley, and Bent by him 
to the Smithsonian Institution. 
The goat's-head porgy (Calamus mcgacephalus) and the 
staecp’B-head porgy (Calamus arbita/rim) are taken with the 
book in large quautity, and rank amongst the most salable 
kinds. They live in deep water; and, when brought to 
the surface, their bellies are greatly expanded from the re¬ 
moval of pressure, giving them a very comical appearance. 
The squirrel (Holocentruni sogo) is common, its bright 
color and nervous darting motions rendering it one of the 
most conspicuous denizens of the rock pools. It is found 
throughout the West Indies and south to Brazil. Their 
voracity is very great, and the tyro in angling usually finds 
his first prize to be a “squirrel." They are not often eaten. 
They breed plentifully about the islands, and reach a length 
of fifteen inches; the lobes of the vertical fins becoming 
proportionally more and more produced with age. The 
local name is the same as that given by Catesby, aud refers 
to a grunting noise uttered by them, which resembles the 
bark of a squirrel- 
The Bermuda bonito (Zonkhllnys fasoiatus) is recorded 
also from Cuba and South Carolina, A specimen was 
taken near New York in October, 187S, and is now in the 
National Museum. The bonito is au excellent table-fish, 
and reaches the length of two feet or more. 
Large schools of the “mackerel” (Orcynus alliteratus ) 
were observed in March. This large and powerful pelagic 
fish has been observed in the Mediterranean, on the east of 
Norway, in the East ludies, on the coasts of Brazil and 
Cuba, and was found in 1871 by Prof. Baird in large num¬ 
bers at Wood's Hole, Mass., and several have since been 
taken on the shores of Southern New Englaud. It is highly- 
valued for bait, but is the ouly large fish which is not 
thought good to eat; though rather oily, I think it, superior 
to many of the Bermuda food-fishes, it allains the length 
of two feet aud a half. 
The round robin (Decaplerux punctatus) is very common. 
This species ranges along Hie coast from Brazil to Cape 
Cod, and has been seen at Cuba and Martinique. The 
round robin is seined in great numbers at Hamilton Har¬ 
bor, in company with the various species of Vlupeidce and 
Cf&r-rida’, and is sold from row-boats along the quay at the 
legal rate of fourpence a pound. The largest measure six 
inches. “Jigging robins" is a favorite amusement of the 
liLt.le negroes. - A few bread-crumbs are thrown over the 
dock, aud tire little fish collect in such uumbers that a line 
with a bare fish-hook jerked rapidly through the group sel¬ 
dom fails to impale one or more. 
Tlie goggler or goggle-eye (ZVacAwops crumenophthalmus), 
like the preceding, is found in the West Indies nnd on tho 
coast of the United Slates to Southern Massachusetts; it is 
found also at Mauritius, in the Pacific arid Indian oceans, 
the Red Sea, and on the coast of Guinea. The goggler 
reaches the weight of a pound, is found with the preced¬ 
ing, and is used for food. The local names refer to its 
great, staring eyes. 
The jack, or buffalo jack (Pwratraclus pisquelw J, is com¬ 
mon, occurring also in the West Indies and on Hie coast of 
Brazil, and the United Stales as far north as Cape Cod. 
Its iiabits closely resemble those of the preceding species. 
My largest specimen is nine inches long; the fishermen 
claim that the species attains the weight of five or six 
pounds, but they probably confound this with some other 
species of the same family. 
Two species known as the shad (Eitcinostomus gulft) and 
the long-boned shad (Eucinostotnus LeJ'nryi) are seined in 
quantity in the harbors and sold from boats along the 
wharf. 
The hog-flslr (Lachnotnmus falcalus) is very common here, 
as it is throughout the West indies. Hog-lEh Ledge, at tho 
entrance lo Hamilton Harbor, is marked by a pyramid of 
stone, called the “Hog-fish Beacon," which is surmounted 
by a huge iron image of a hog-fish. The long streamer¬ 
like appendages or continuations of tho vertical tins give 
to the nog-fish as it swiots a singularly graceful appear¬ 
ance. The beauty of those exposed in the market is fre¬ 
quently marred, however, by having had these ornaments 
bitten off by the craw-fish and lobsters confined with them 
iu the wells of the boats. The hog-fish attains tlio weight 
of twenty pounds, and is among the choicest of table-fish; 
its bard, white, exquisitely flavored flesh has never been, 
found injurious here, though in some parts of the West 
Indies it is regardud with suspicion. The common name 
refers to the swine like profile and dentition. 
The cow-fish (Ostrueium quadricame) is, I was told, much, 
esteemed for food, and is frequently baked Whole in its 
shell. The popular uame, like the Cuban “tore” and the 
Jamaican “cuckold,” refers to the two horn-liko supra¬ 
orbital spines. 
The barracuda (Sphyrama spot) is frequently found in the 
markets, and is eaten with impunity, as far as I could 
learn, My specimens measured nearly two feet, and it is 
said to atmiu a much greater size. This is not the barra¬ 
cuda of the West Indies, hut the common species of tho 
Mediterranean known by the Spanish as Maputo aud by the 
Italians as Sjirenjm aud Lu&o. Its occurrence so far west 
has, I believe, never before been observed. Gffnlher con¬ 
siders the Uphymita borealis of DelCay, described from 
specimens eight' inches long taken in New York Harbor, to 
be the same. This might ba inferred from the somewhat 
loose language of the description; but tho figure shows it 
to be closely allied to, if not identical with Sphynena picuda. 
Tbe origin of the first dorsal is shown by the artist to bo 
situated almost directly above the extremity of the pecto¬ 
rals and far in front of the middle of the fish. 
The sennet (Bpkymna picuda) is common, breeding plen¬ 
tifully, The young may he seen basking in the sun in tho 
