The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-06-06
FISH TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES.
often Found Many Leagues From
Their Natural Haunts.
From the Boston Heral


During the summer and fall of 1899 the
scientific department of the United States
fish commission made several dredging ex-
petitions In the waters about Woods Holl
Mass. These expeditions were attended,
with great success. and a number of
strange species of fish were found. The
work was carried on in the summer of
1898, when the number Of species found in
the southern waters of New England num-
bered 222. including five species not before
found in United States waters.
The past season, although in some re-
spects unfavorable. was unprecedented for
the number of new and rare fish found.
One drawback was the scarcity of the
floating sargossa weed from the inshore
waters. This weed is found in the gulf
stream, and often drifts ashore along the
coast of Cape Cod and the shores OF the
islands of Nantucket and Marthas Vine
ard more especially the latter. 1t is un-
der the floating vegetation that the tropi-
cal forms drift into New England waters.
either in the form of undeveloped spawn
or as young fry, and often as fully devel
oped specimes of fish.
A great number of these species of fish
found were seined in Katama bay small
body Of shallow water which separates the
east end of the island of Afarthas Vine
yard from Chappaquidick island. This
bay was first visited the latter part of
August, and four species not previously
found in the region were taken in addition
to a number of Southern forms. Between
Aug. 20 and Oct II the bay was indus
triously se'ned along about one mile OF the
eastern shore and rare Southern fishes
were invariably found.
At times the number of species taken in
a single seine haul was nigh marvellous for
this section. and, indeed, surpassed by but
few Florida or West Indian accounts. On
Sept. l fifty-six species were taken, of
which forty-seven were obtained al one
set, including seven never before reported
north of points along the Florida coast
The species taken last summer bring
the number found IN the waters of New
England, in the vicinity of Woods Holl, up
to 240. This is greater number than has
BEEN recorded from any other locality In
this country, with the single exception of
Key West, in which section over $50 spe-
cies have been noted.
Among the fish taken were many used
as food In the Southern states and, If
their advent into Northern waters lie per-
| manent and not mere accident, the list of
marketable fish will be greatly increased.
specimen of the flying fish (exocoetus
heterurus). twelve inches long, was taken
in Menensha blight on Aug. 4, and on Aug.
| p another smaller specimen was captured
| This is a rare species and only on two
| other occasions has IL been found here
| abouts.
| Anothr rare species was the sea raven
| Heterogeneous cuvierD. This fish previous
| to 1890 had been taken only on the coast
of Southern France and the Madeira ISL
| ands. On Nov. TO- 1890. a specimen was
| captured at Woods Holl, and on Aug. /.
another was found floating under a mass
| Of rock weed in Vineyard sound.
o. ..I.. ~ = -
| eater Crachycentron canadum) was caught
| In the fish commission trap in Buzzard' s
! bay. This fish weighed sixty pounds,
measured nearly FIVE feet in length. and
| was retained alive until Sept. l. About
twenty-five years ago this was common
| fish here
| A large number of snow groupers and
big eyes were taken in Katama bay during
August, where also were found ever twen-
| ty specimens of the mutton fish, which
| rarely is seen north Of Florida, and ranges
as far south as Brazil
| A few specimens of butterfly FISH (choe.
| tvdon occellatus) have been taken a,
/ Woods Hol nearly ever yyear In October
and November. But In 1899 the fish was
| positively common at times. and mory
1 were found In Katama bay than In any
/ other locality. A number found were Sc
| small as to make Il reasonable to infer
that the were Matched in Massachusetts
| waters.
| An interesting capture was that made In
a lobster pot near Tuckernuck island or
| July 20, 1899. Of specimen OF muroena ret.
| ifera. This eel was over Elk feet long and
weighed nearly forty pounds. 1t was af-
forwards exhibited In Ne- Bedford as 9
| sea serpent.
A young squirrel fish. the first ever
taken north OF Florida. was captured in
| September near Katama bay.
Another new species found was that oil