Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-29
: THE DEAD FISHES,
statement Of Professor Baird, OF the
Smithsonian Institution.

OEAD k1SHESs
Statement 81 Professor Baird, Of the
+ Smithsonian Institution.
From the N. Y. Herald.
Prof Spencer F. Baird. secretary Of the Smith
sonian Institution, being asked for information
as to the species Of the dead fish recently found
In the ocean and the facts as reported to him,
says:
ut seems that within the past week or ten
days vessels crossing the edge of the Gulf
Stream from Europe and the West Indies and
bound for Philadelphia. New York. and Boston,
have passed through regions in which dead fish
were floating in large quantities The accounts
SHOW that these fish were found in water vary
ING from fifteen to seventy-fve miles in extent
The first reports were that they were Goldfish.
Later accounts, however, said they look like
cod, and suggested that they were redsnappers,
because of their bFightish color. Others have
taken them to be tautog, and some believe them
vessels were eaten and pronounced palatable at
least.
Have you tried any, Professor"
Yes, have. l have eaten them before.
do not THU they are indicate"
Have you as yet ascertained the cause of the
mOrtality3"
mo; for there are no indications of disease or
injury observed to which their death can be
ascribed. The cause Of mortality is as yet not
known. In fact it has not been suggested. The
hrst inquiry has been as to the name of the fish.
The more discriminating observers agree that
the fish were new to them. They ere repre-
sented as being something entirely unknown to
fishermen.
SPECIMENS SENT.
lone OF these men sent me some specimens
which he had caught and prepared. They were
taken about seventy miles southwest of Nam
tucket In his letter he states that he had sailed
through some sixty or seventy miles of water
covered with them, and that they appear to be
rising all the time. Their eyes and blood when
taken and examined on board the vessel. were,
as he says, as bright as when in full life We
have not received as many or as fresh specimens
as we desired tor scientific purposes but hope to
De able to get some in order to make more
satisfactory examination"
LETTER FROM THE FISHERMAN.
The letter to which allude is as follows
PHILADELPHIA, March "a, 1882.
Professor BAIRD
DEAR SIR send You by express to-day
sample OF the fish picked up off Nantucket.
about seventy miles southwest They appear
70 De Inherent from any fish have yet seen, and
cannot find any old fishermen that have seen
anything just like them. We sailed through
some sixty or seventy miles of them, and they
appeared to be rising to the top of the water
all the time. Their eyes and blood were as
bright as could be when taken on board. l see
several vessels have passed through them as
goldfish, but they are different from the ordinary
Goldfish l shall be pleased to hear from you
when convenient, as 1 would like to know what
the hsh are and where they come from.
Yours truly, JAMES w. RICH.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
On receiving this letter Professor Baird tele-
graphed Mr.. Rich, who yesterday wrote second
letter, in which he says
Your telegram rs at hand, and 1 am sorry to
say that I had all the fish cleaned and put on
ice. 1 expect to sail for Boston early next
week, and if 1 come across any more of
them will try to send some. could discover
no appearance Of disease about the inwards of
any OF them. The eyes, gills, blood and liver
were as bright as when living. The liver would
not float. and had little. if any, Oil in it. What
the fishermen call the poke or pouch of hake
was hanging out of the mouths of about one
half OF them and there was no food of any kind
except in one small dOgfish did not try the
temperature of the water, but the air was very
cold and made heavy ice on deck that night.
IDENTITY OF THE FISH.
When the accounts Of these fish first began to
appear Professor Baird suspected that they
might be the same as the remarkable new
species discovered by the United States fish
commission in 1870 and 1871, off the southern
coast of New England. An inspection has
proved this to be the case. The fish is known as
the tile, its scientific name being lopho5atil,is
chdn,eleonticeps. The commission found this fish
to be one of the most abundant in the sea- &C.
curing for one thousand miles along the west
ern edge of the gulf stream in water from sew
enty-five fathOms upward, and in temperature
from forty to fifty degrees The specimens sent
to Mr.. Blackboard, of Fulton Market New York,
were distributed by him to well known dealers,
who say they were very good, though possessing
slight popularity that is not agreeable to some
palates. The fish is shaped something like
full of American fishes, besides being
marked with bright gamboge colors and
the fins presenting all the hues of the rainbow
In size the fish ranges from five to fifty or sixty
pounds. They are found to bite readily at a
troll, and large numbers are caught I'm a short
time. What effect this mortality will have on
the numbers in the future, Prof. Baird SAYS is
difficult to tell. The quantities of this species
OF fish floating on the Atlantic coast show that
they are one of the most abundant species. The
cause of the mortality is not known to Prof.
Baird for as yet it can only be conjectured He
says that there is nothing analogous in the cause
which has killed 80 many salmon in the last few
years, as there are no sores or other indications
OF bad condition. He moreover states that the
phenomenon as to the quantity Of dead fish first
manifested itself after the occurrence in that
region of one Of the most violent ocean storms
known for several years. He suggests that pos
slDly the nsh may have been killed mechanically
by the motion OF the waves. Another sugges-
ton is that the mortality has been due to the
earthquake influence. At any rate, he regards
the problem as quite an interesting one
''The question has often been asked" said
Professor Baird. "of persons who believe in the
existence OF sea serpents and other marine
monsters, why these are not more frequently
seen. In reply it can be asked why magnifi-
cent food fish, reaching sometimes sixty pounds
and upward. in numbers equalling the Goldfish,
occurring in region of the very thickest path
between Europe and America and at a depth of
only few hundred feet, should have remained
absolutely unknown to both the fisherman and
the man Of science until the year 1879, and only
brought conspicususly into notice by catastro-
phe that may not occur more than once in a
century"
''Then you believe in the existence of sea
serpent?" your correspondent asked.
II see no reason why there may not be sea
serpents and other marine monsters" said Pro-
lessor Baird.