790 The American Naturalist. [September, 
SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
First Tile Fish in Ten Years.—The United States Fish Com- 
mission schooner “ Grampus” returned, Aug. 7, from an examination 
of the deep water fishing grounds south of Martha’s Vineyard with a tile 
fish, the first which has been caught in 10 years. The mysterious dis- 
appearance of this fish in 1882 was the subject of considerable discus- 
sion and comment at the time, and its cause was variously accounted 
for. The fish was first discovered in 1879 by a Gloucester fishing 
schooner, which secured a large number of them. Specimens were 
sent to fish experts and the markets, and it was at once recognized as 
a fish of value for its food qualities. 
As it was found within a few hours’ sailing distance of New York, the 
fishermen saw that it gave promise of an important additional fishing 
ground. The fish commissioner, realizing the important nature of the 
discovery, began a careful investigation of the entire region in order 
to determine the extent of the grounds, the abundance of the fish and 
the best means of catching them. The investigation was pursued dur- 
ing the summers of 1880 and 1881, specimens being taken on nearly 
all the trips made by the commission vessels to this region. The 
result of these trips showed that the fish were abundant, and that the 
hopes based upon the discovery were well founded. 
In the spring of 1882, however, enormous quantities of this fish 
were found dead upor the surface of the ocean, from Nantucket to 
Cape May, and since that time none of them have been taken, despite 
the efforts put forth at frequent intervals to find them. 
In 1889 a systematic study of the relations of the gulf stream and 
the Labrador current was instituted by the commissioner, Col. M. 
McDonald, with the idea of establishing a connection between the 
changes in the temperature of the water and the movements of the 
schools of fish. During the course of the investigation for the past 
three years it was found that a deep warm water band was approach- 
ing the edge of the continental platform nearer and nearer each year. 
The idea suggested itself that if this band came in contact with the 
continental platform throughout its whole extent, the feeding grounds 
of the tile fish, which was a tropical fish, might be possibly so extended 
. that it would find its way far to the northeast and up to the point 
where the land naturally left the end of the platform at the position — 
where the fish was first discovered, If, then, this band should be with- — 
