Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-09-18
SAMOAN FISHES


The following relating to poisonous
fishes in Samoa was recently submit
ted to Captain seebrec, U. S. ~, Gov
ernor of TutuiIa
United States Naval Station, Tutuila,
August ., 1902.
Captain L. Sebrcc. L. $. ~. Governor
Of Tutuila.
Dear Sir:-Permit me to make an
informal report on our investigation
of the fishes of the Samoan Islands.
with the aid Of Professors Vernon
l.. Kellogg and MiChitarO Sindo, |
have spent seven weeks In the eXami
nation Of the fishes Of Samoa. under
the direction of the United States
Fish Commission, for the information
OF the President and the Government
of the United States.
We have found in Samoa 60 differ.
ont kinds of fishes, a number not sur.
passed in any other part Of the world.
and approached only in Java and Su-
matra.
or this number, about one-half are
small fishes living in CreviCes and
pools of coral; some of these never
exceed half an inch in length. or the
others, most species are good for food
and the bays Of Tutula have an I'M.
usually large number Of good food.
fishes.
Fish are sometimes poisonous in
these waters. There are three causes
of this:
/. When FISH are allowed to lie 6
hours or more, or for less time in q
wet heap. the flesh becomes tainted,
and the contents of the stomach soak
into the flesh. Tainted fish produce
slckness-vomitlng and Indigestion
Il disease called Ichthyosis. In this
repect, one kind Is as bad a another,
and the remedy is to dress fish as
soon as possible, and TO eat them soon
after they have been caught. This
disease rarely lasts long, and the best
treatment is to produce vomiting.
?. Sometimes fish themselves eat
poisonous grOwths In the sea, thus
killing themselves and making their
fleh poisonous. There seems to be no
such poisonous fsh-food in the har.
bors of Samoa, but II is reported that
they sometimes come up from the
deep sea after storms.
3. Certain kinds of fish are some.
times or always poisonous on account
Of a bitter substance called an aka
lpi1 on1 gnmnwbat lIlyn et,y,huSnn
which is developed in the flesh.
These produce a violent nervous at
tack called Ciguatera, which Is some.
times fatal.
The first remedy is to produce vom.
iting.
More kinds Of fish are poisonous in
Tutuila than in Upolu.
At Apia, scarcely any kind Except
Mumea, Pusi and Sue) is bad.
The principal fishes which may pro-
duce Ciguatera are. so far as known,
in Tutuila, the following:
l. The Mumea, a large deep red
fish with a long body and large
mouth-a kind Of Snapper. This is
said to be always poisonous.
2. The Taiva Uliuli, a smaller kind
of Snapper. green in color, with d
small black spot on the side of the
body.
3. The Filoa, a very long.nosed
Snapper, is very often poisonous in
Upom.
1. The Ataata, kind of Grouper
almost black and covered with small
spots Of deep blue. This Is often poi.
sonous in Tutuila.
>. The Alogo, a lancetfish, or fish
with a sharp knife of bone on the side
OF the tail, with body covered with
bright stripes OF blue and orange.
g. The Trigger fishes, called Sunni,
are poisonous in some places, but are
said to be always safe in Samoa.
!. The File fishes, called Aleva
are regarded as poisonous. They are
thin and poor.
8. All the Pufrers, or Globe fishes,
called Sue, and the Porcupine fish, Ia.
utu, are likely to be posonous-some.
times very poisonous.
O. The Trunk fishes, Moamoa, are
said to be always safe in Samoa.
10, The large Sea Eels, or Morays,
called pusi arc very nftpn nOiSnnona