New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-22
PRICE -FOUR CENTS.
CULTIVAIING FOOD FISH.
WORK OF THE FISH COMMISSION.

ETIEs OF MARINE ANIMALS DISCOVERED.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUSH.l
WASHINGTON. Nov. 21.-Wth the close of the cur
rent ends tine first decade of the operations Of
the United States Fish Commission. which, during
that period. have been conducted under the direc-
ton of Professor Spencer f. Baird. Professor Baird
has been aided by a corps of competent assistants
and has also received much help from individuals
engaged in Independent Investigations, as well as
from fishermen, VINO have volunteered to take and
record observations and to make collections Of ma
rine fauna.
The first division of the work Of the Comms sion,
which possesses the greatest amount OF interest to
the general public, that Of the discovery and de-
scrlDtiOn Of new species Of fish. Ibis work is
supplemented by the scientific classification
and description of all new marine fauna discovered
THIS division of the work Dot COT fined 20 the pro-
ducts of the waters of the Atlantic the Gulf of Mexico
and the Pacific coast. but it also includes the chthy-
OOgy of the lakes and rivers. It is estimated that
within ten years the specimens Of the marine fauna
of New England alone have been increased by new
discoveries from 500 to about 1000 mainly through
the work of the Commission. DURING the same time
100 new species of fish, half of which new TO
science, have been discovered on the eastern Allan
coast. The life histories of many varieties OF
fish have been printed, and a great quantity of ma
terlal relating to almost every species has been
cumulated for future More or less complete
monographs on the buetsh, the soup, the menha-
den, the salmon and the whteGsh have been
printed, and Others nearly ready for publication.
thus far no deep-sea work has been done by the
Commission in the waters south OK Long Island,
but shore Investigations have been prosecuted along
the entire Atlantic and Gulf coasts OF the United
States, and extensive researches of the same kind
have been made along the Pacific coast. Many
HI.
an economic sense as well. have thus been made As
the NewEngland waters arc still the great centre Of
American fishing Industries, the explorations in
those waters have been elaborate and uuremitting.
Dredging operations have been conducted OF tho
New-Engiand coast during every season for the
last ten years, and great additions have been made
to the knowledge OF the ichtbyOogy OF that region.
The area of exploration has been extended to Da-
viss Straits and the Grand Banks. The work Of IN
vestgation has included many details besides
the securing and preservation of new
specimens From the very first atten-
tion has been paid TO the temperature of
the water in its relation to the NOV ments of fish,
and for several years extensive observations have
been made along the entire coast by the Commits
sion; and its volunteer assistants. officers of the
Signal Service, and Of the Lighthouse and Life
Saving Services have also lent valuable aid to this
tions has been demonstration Of the causes Gf the
failure of the menhaden fisheries tEe Maine coast
last season-a misfortune which threw about 2 900
persons out of employment lt was ascertained that
thls failure was occagfoned by the unusually low
Temperature of the water IN the Gulf Of Maine at
the regular for the passage northward of tine
menhaden, which prevented them from reaching
their usual haunts. The catch OF menhaden south
of Cape Cod during that season was very large, but
the number taken was much less than in average
md he Sl q
Observations have also been made 10 determine the
temperature If the blood of marine animals; 20
ascertain the effect upon the young of different fish
of a change from sea water INTO fresh wafer and
from fresh water INTO sea water; and 10 find out
the effect of cold in retardng the incubation of tho
eggs OF fish. Chemical analyses have been made 10
determine the relative nutritlve value OF fish as an
article of food
One of the most interesting facts connected with
the operations OF the Commission is the interest
evinced and the voluntary assistance rendered by
the fishermen Of Cape Ann during the last three
wears. When the Commission ESTABLISH its head
quarters at Gloucester III 1878 the crews of the fish
ing vessels sailIug from that port Immediately be-
came interested in the geological work. and began
to with each other IN th sir efforts TO find new
animals. Up TO the present time they
have brought in nearly LOGO separate lots
of specimens. numbering in all about 10000,
the most OF which belong to species not otherwise
attanable The vessels engaged in The hall but fishery
set lines from ten 10 fourteen miles in length with
hooks six feet apart III water 200 To 800 fathoms
deep. Many varieties or living forms, which never
had been saved. were brought up these hooks
preserved.
carry collecting tanks 1led with alcohol on every
cruise aud the masters of some Of the vessels de-
clare that it brings them bad luck 20 go to sea
without one of these tanks on board. During every
cruise constant observations of temperature etc,
are recorded on blanks furnished by the C0mmls-
slon The same blanks show the kinds OF fish seen
and the quantity taken each day. The master
of each vessel also keeps separate log' in which
are daily recorded all events and fac;s of interest
relating to the work OF the .ommis5'on: All these
Baird III Washington, and IN thc ctice OF the Com
mission may be found considerable ana constantly
increasing collection OF these documents, which
comprise mass of information that is Of great
value.
owned vessel with which tO conduct dredging
operations Last sumner, however, the Fish Hawk,
vessel especially designed 10 meet the requirements
of be service, was finished and placed III commls-
sion This vessel is fitted with every appliance I'd
secure al preserve specimens and is provided with
accommodations for the ha:cbng of dtfrfeDt varie-
were made with the Fish Hawk this season. On the
last trip, when about 100 miles south of Newport
K. l., very remarkable cluster or group OF marine
fauna was discovered in l20 to $50 fathoms
of vater. At that place in short
time twenty new varieties of ish, most of
them new to science. 100 new mOllushs aud
many other forms of marine life were found in largo
quantities. In the course OF the year the pole
founder n valuable food fish resembling the Eng
lsh sole, and hitherto almost unknown, has been
found IN considerable quantities. This fish will
form "a desirable addition TO the American fish mar
kets. The :. tile fish " has also been found TO be
somewhat plentiful in deep waters of tie coast OF
New-En gland Professor G0oGe, Curator OF the
National Museum, saws that when first taken from
the water this fish is the most beautiful that he
has ever seem IL is fair fish for the table. The
last season marked by the temperance in iln-
mense numbers of the " thmbe-eyed or od-fash-
ioned spanish mackerel off Long Island and III the
Gulf OF Maine. These fish entirely disappeared
from the New England waters about thirty years
ago. before which time they were taken III large
numbers. They are very abundant III the Mediter.
ranean, aud their sudden reappearance IN such
numbers on this side of the Atlantic is not yet ex-
planned. Another event ot the last summer
the sudden appearance in immense schools
about Block Island and in the adjacent waters of
the frgaten mackere hsh which is very COM
mon about the Bermudas. the Azores and the
coast of Europe, but which never before had been
found in the waters OF the United states. IL was