246 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
most unusual and unexpected catch, the sea robins being true bottom 
hshes. 
COTTUS OCTODECIMSPINOSUS. 
May 30. About 14 miles southwest J west from Gay Head, we caught 
an 18-spined sculpin on the hand-line. 
SCOMBER SCOMBRUS L. 
Localities of mackerel , 1887. 
April 8. Schooner Grampus, off Smith’s Island, mouth of Chesa- 
peake Bay, caught two mackerel with ale wives. Another vessel was re- 
ported to have taken some about that time. 
April 10. Captain Keene, of the schooner Howard Holbrook, reports 
having seen small schools and two large schools at night in north lati- 
tude 37° 50', west longitude 73° 13'; these were supposed to be large 
school fish. The schooner John S. McQuinn saw fish on the same night. 
About April 20, Capt. Sol. Jacobs and Captain Hauss stated that 
there was quite a body of fish in north latitude 37° 25', to 37° 40', and 
west longitude 74° 25' to 74° 35'. It was observed that alewives were 
more or less mixed with the mackerel usually, and it was remarked by 
the fishermen up to the end of April that the mackerel schooled mostly 
at night. 
April 23. Capt. Sol. Rowe caught three tinker mackerel in a purse 
seine, 30 miles off Hog Island, in company with Prionotus , Glupea, Squa - 
lus and Lophius. 
April 27. Capt. Joseph Smith, schooner Alice M. Center, saw his 
first school of mackerel in north latitude 37° 36', west longitude 74° 42'. 
April 27 or 28. Captain McKay is said to have seen large mackerel 60 
miles south of Ho Man’s Land. 
In the latter part of April, the schooner Melissa Z>. Robins saw a quan- 
tity of small mackerel in the night, about north latitude 38° 17', west 
longitude 74° 15'. 
May 1. Captain McGowan was in a school of mixed fish in about north 
latitude 36° 43', west longitude 74° 43', and says that the body of fish 
was the largest he has seen in the south in five years. 
The schooner Carrie Parsons, on the night of May 1, saw a large mass 
of mackerel in north latitude 36° 47', west longitude 74° 53'. 
May 2. Captain Smith next saw the mackerel in about north latitude 
37°, 50 miles east by south from Cape Charles. He followed them about 
35 miles north -north east. 
May 2. Captain Fernald, schooner Lilia B. Fernald, caught some 
mackerel off Hog Island, in 17 fathoms. The schooner Lula Wilbur 
also took some. 
May 3. Steamer Vidette from Mobile, at Hew York, reports in latitude 
36° H. water fairly alive with schools of mackerel \ mackerel fleet 50 
miles north. 
