30 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. V., Xo. 101. 



for the purpose of catching this new fish, when, 

 in the early spring of 1882, reports were brought 

 in by vessels that dead tile-fishes were seen float- 

 ing in immense numbers over areas of many 

 square miles. These dead or nearly dead fishes 

 were floating, belly upward, all the way from off 

 Cape Hatteras to Nantucket, and in such num- 

 bers that there were in one case estimated to 

 be fifty in a square rod. As they weighed 

 from five to fifty pounds, even allowing for ex- 

 aggeration, the sight must have been strange. 

 They were examined, and found to be per- 

 fectly health}', and some were eaten. All were 

 not dead, but some seemed to be benumbed ; 

 and, when placed in the sun on deck, they re- 

 vived sufficiently to move the muscles slightly. 

 There were some other fishes among: them in 



we find that there were 719,360,000 pounds 

 of dead fish on the surface. The extreme 

 abundance of these fishes was never imagined 

 before their destruction. This destruction is 

 not without parallel ; for in certain bays on 

 the coast of Labrador, when icebergs have 

 grounded, cod have been killed in great num- 

 bers by the sudden decrease of temperature, 

 and their bodies washed ashore. In Texas, 

 during the Mexican war, after a very cold 

 night, enough fishes were washed on the beaches 

 in a benumbed condition to furnish food for 

 Gen. Taylor's whole army. Other cases are 

 recorded where volcanic action has caused 

 similar destruction. Of the theories sug- 

 gested to explain the destruction, all were dis- 

 carded but that of cold water. Volcanic action 



'§**.''•.. 



S ■ V. IS 





'UK Tlf.K-FISH. 



a similar condition ; but, as none were saved, 

 the species cannot be identified. This great 

 abundance of paralyzed fishes on the surface, 

 without an}' apparent reason, attracted much 

 attention, and many causes were ascribed to 

 explain the phenomenon. The fish-commis- 

 sion itself made inquiries ; and the following 

 startling statistics concerning the number of 

 dead fishes are taken from Capt. Collins' s offi- 

 cial report. The}' covered 4,250 square miles ; 

 and, if one-twentieth of the number recorded 

 by the man who saw the most be taken as an 

 average number for the area, we have a total of 

 1,438,720,000 fishes. Even if we allow only one 

 fish where the observer reported 400, we still 

 have an astounding total of 71,936,000 fishes. 

 Taking ten pounds to be the average weight, 



1 Reproduced from a drawing loaned by the U. S. fish -com- 

 missi on, as were the cuts on pp. 337, 338, vol. iv. 



could not be used to explain it, because there 

 was no disturbance ; and disease would not 

 account for the phenomenon, because all the 

 fishes were perfectly healthy. 



The tile-fish is a warm-water fish, and be- 

 longs to a family which is peculiarly a tropical 

 group. The part of the ocean which these 

 fishes inhabit is a portion of the rapidly slop- 

 ing Gulf Stream slope. A narrow belt in this 

 region, having a depth of from seventy to a 

 hundred and fifty fathoms, is so influenced 

 by the Gulf Stream as to have a nearly 

 uniform temperature of about 50° F. the year 

 round. On either side of this belt is one of 

 much colder water. The inner shallow shore- 

 water often descends in winter below 32° F., 

 and beyond to the great ocean-depths the tem- 

 perature gradually descends. This belt, being 

 so much warmer and more uniform in tempera- 



