Evening star., 1901-08-26
Result Of Investigation by Fish Com
mission Icthyologists.
DIR. EVERMAN'S STATEMENTS
Great Number and Variety of the
Finny Tribe.
LEGISLATION EEDED

A scientific party, including several Of the
icthyologists of the United States fish COM
mission, has just returned from trip to
the Hawaiian Islands, where for the past
few months 1t has been examining into the
fishing industry Of that locality.
This party was organized under authority
granted by Congress, which passed law
creating 1t. in order that recommendations
might be submitted designed to secure the
enactment of legislation for the protection
of fish and fisheries in Hawaii. The inves-
legations of the party proved very fruitful.
both in the matter Of benefit to the science
of technology and the protection Of species
of fish which are fast becoming depleted.
The expedition was made by DIR. Barton
w. Everman, John N. Cobb and L. e.
Goldsborough of the fish commission, DIR.
Jordan, DR.. o. P. Jenkins and George sindo
of the Stanford University of California
and C. B. Hudson and A. H. Baldwin,
artists.
DIR. Everman's Statement.
In speaking of the trip DR.. Everman said
to a Star reporter today: This expedition
was of great benefit to the science Of fish
and the fisheries. During our trip we found
and examined some 800 species of native
Hawaiian fishes. All Of them are indigo
found fully seventy-hve species which were
unknown to our science before the investf-
cations were made.
That region of the Pacific in the neigh
borhood of Hawaii Is especially prolific Of
fish,. There are a great many species and
there are great many people engaged in
the fishing industry. or the species we ex-
amlned many were very interesting. They
We're OF all sizes and have all manner OF
habits and names. All Of them bear native
names. and it would be useless for me to
repeat them for public benefit. For in
stance one species is named the 'humu-
to pronounce, but it is a fair specimen Of
the titles given the fishes by the natives
In this connection it is interesting to
note that the Hawaiian alphabet consists
OF only twelve letters. The word 'humu'
means certain thing, but when it is re-
peated. as 1t is in the case of the name
mentioned, 1t means something else. That
accounts for the existence OF such ex-
tremeiy long words in the native language.
1t would never do, by the way, for a man
to stutter In speaking this tongue. He
would constantly be saying something he
didn't mean.
Legislation Necessary.
Our party found that great deal of
legislation must be enacted In order to pro-
tect the fishes and the fishing industry Of
Hawaii. Many species are rapidly becom-
ing depleted. We must have a law de-
signed to protect such species. This law
must provide that the meshes of the nets
used by fishermen must be Of large size in
order that too many Of the small fishes
may not be caught. In almost every in
stance now the nets are woven too finely
BY increasing the size of the >meshes a
great many Of the smaller fishes will be
allowed to escape the nets and thus gain
their full growth before being captured
This will tend to increase the supply of
such species
"All of the fishes of Hawaii are different
from anything we have in this section OF
the world They are, Of course tropical
fishes. We have tropical fishes here. too
but those of Hawaii are too far separated
geographically to have many characteris-
tics in common with those Of the species Of
our own zone. The fishes Of Hawaii are
very great in number of species, and each
specimen Is rich In it's own numerical
strength. Hawaii has a great many Of the
pompano family, which abounds in certain
sections of this geographical section. Ha-
Wa1lan waters also contain many snappers
and groupers. One OF the most important
there, however. Is a certain species of null
let, which is especially valuable as a food
nsh. In times gone by law was enforced
In Hawaii decreeing that the mullet was
the food fish for kings and kings alone
The common people were not allowed to
catch 1T. This dainty fish was for the table
or the regent. and II any one outside Of
the royal circle dared to catch him he was
made to feel the arm OF the law. Now.
however, 1t Is different. Any one may en-
snare the muliet. 1t is a particularly fine
food fish, and is In great demand through
out the island. 1t is cultivated to a certain
extent by the Hawaiians. Artificial ponds
are constructed near the sea, and when the
tide Is In flood many Of the fishes find their
way into these small lakes: When the
water recedes the fishes are imprisoned in
the ponds. fattened. and when ready for
the table. taken out and sold.
Distinct Habits Of the FISHES.
"A great many Of the fishes Of Hawaii
have habits distinctly their own. For in
stance, hundreds Of them live in the coral
beds. During our investigations we secured
large quantities Of decayed coral fresh
from the water and upon smashing 1t with
a hammer hundreds Of miniature specimens
were brought to view. We secured many
specimens in this way. Our first examina-
tions, however were begun In the markets
The fishermen of Hawaii are all Japanese
and Portuguese. When they fish they try
for all kinds, making no distinction what
ever in their catches, and all their product
Is taken directly to the markets, which
are presided over exclusively by the Chi
nese. The Japanese in most cases take
their fishes to the market while the catch
Is yet alive. and this custom proved of
great value to US. In the markets the fish
are sold by the piece instead Of by the
pound. They are expensive, too. Figured
In pounds fish sell for about 80 cents in
Hawaii while 1t requires pretty good fish
meat to demand Is cents a pound in this
country. When we had exhausted the
markets for our specimens we employed
fishermen to angle and drag at sea for us,
and thus we obtained many species which
we would otherwise have missed.
1.-The natives Of Hawaii eat all kinds of
fish, and some Of the species which are not
considered fit for food in this country are
regarded as especially fine throughout the
islands. In this class are some Of the file
fishes, for instance. They are not consider
ed good food In this country, but in Hawaii
they are eaten pretty generally. A great
many of the fishes there are large some
OF them being from four to six feet In
length. Their colors are also Of the most
brilliant type, and a great many species
furnish a most picturesque and kaleido-
sccpic appearance, their scales being Of all
the hues delighted in by the aesthetic.
The Surgeon Fish.
"a fish which Is very common In Hawaiian
waters is the one known In this coun-
try as the surgeon or doctor This is a
fish which carries small lance protruding
from the side Of Its body. 1t lives In the
insular waters In great abundance. The
surgeon is called the 'barbero,' or med
ico.' by the Spaniards. A 'barbero Is bar
ber. The barber. 1t will be remembered,