FISHES COLLECTED BY WILLIAM P. SEAL IN CHESAPEAKE BAY, AT CAPE CHARLES CITY, VIRGINIA, SEPTEMBER i6 TO OCTOBER 3. i8go. BY Barton A. Bean, Assistant Curator of the Department of Fishes. On the 15th of September, 1890, Mr. William P. Seal, of the U. S. Fish Commission, left Washingtou and proceeded to Cape Charles City, Virginia, on Cliesapeake Bay, about 5 miles north of Cape Charles, for the purj)Ose of collecting living lislics for the national aquaria at Washington, District of Columbia, lie was accompanied by Messrs. L. G. Harron and D. W. Kenly, also of the Fish Commission, and by the writer in behalf of the U. S. National Museum. Mr. Seal carried with him the necessary outtit for collecting purposes. It consisted of nets and seines, tul)s, buckets, transportation boxes and cans for live fishes, live boxes, and an outfit of tents, etc., for the accommodation of his party, which camj^ed upon the beach immediately in front of the town of Cape Charles. The party, with the exception of the writer, re-mained there nntil October 4, when they returned to Washington. As a result of this trip a very creditable exhibit of liviitg fishes was ob-tained and quite a little added to our knowledge of the marine life in the Chesapeake. We found the water quite shallow in front of the town and the first few hanls of a 30-fathom seine brought up quite a number of species. King's Creek, which is about 1^ miles north of the town, is one of the richest collecting grounds in the neighborhood. It is a good feeding place for fishes. The pound nets furnish much of interest to tbe col-lector. Sterling Bros., of Cape Charles City, are always very obliging and of much assistance to those seeking specimens and information concerning the fisheries. Cape Charles City is the shipj)ing point for all the fishes taken in pound nets for a distance of 10 miles. It is the terminus of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Kailroad, and is connected with Norfolk by steamers twice daily. Besides the species listed by me, Mr. Seal observed the following : C'liilom'jcterus, Astroscopes, Stromateus triacanthus, Sphyrama, and Sphyrna zygccna. When it is not specifically stated the common names given do not refer to Cape Charles. Tbe water of this portion of the bay is very salt, there being no tributary streams of fresh water of any consequence on the eastern shore of Virginia. Proceedinga National Museum, Vol. XIV — No. 843. 83
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