On the destruction of fish in the vicinity of the Tortugas during the months of September and October, 1878

244 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. OX THE DESTRUCTION OF FISH IIV THE VICINITY OF THE TOUTUGAS OrRIXG THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1878. By Lieut. J. P. JEFFERSOIV, ©a-. JOSEPH Y. PORTER, and THOITIAS IfJOORE. The followiug information, relative to the (lying of fish in the Gulf of Mexico during the mouth of September last, will be found of much interest, as bearing upon the sudden destruction in large numbers of marine animals, and their accumulation in geological strata. — Editor. Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, Fla., October IG, 1878. I have the honor to enclose herewith the skin of a tish* which was found on the beach here. I send it because many old fishermen say that they never before saw one like it. Some five or six were picked up from a multitude of other fish ; and to report this great mortality among them is my principal reason for addressing you. Some three or four weeks ago, the fishing-smacks over in Florida Bay lost about all their fish in their wells, and attributed it to fresh water, which they sup-posed had from some cause or other come down in great volume from the mainland. On the 9th instant, the sailing-vessel which connects us with Key West met water of a dark color about midway between here and there, but saw no dead fish. On her return, on the night of the 11th, she struck it off Rebecca Shoals, about 25 miles east of here, and found it extending some 10 miles out in the Gulf. That same night it came down upon us here, and the next morning the beach and surface of the water, as far as the eye could reach, were covered with dead fish. The appearance of the Wiiter had entirely changed ; instead of the usual clear blue or green, it was very dark, like cypress water, and when viewed at depths over 10 feet, was almost black, precisely like the Saint John's River. We could not perceive any change in the saltness of the water but not having any other means of determining this, had to depend upon taste. There was no appreciable change in temperature. From the fact that almost all the fish that first came ashore were small and of such varieties as frequent shoal water, I infer that the dark water must have been of less density than the sea ; still, great numbers of "grouper" have been seen, and these are generally found in 3 or 4 fathoms, I believe. The destruction must have been very great, for here, on a key containing but a few acres, and with a very limited extent of beach, we have buried at least twenty cart-loads: they have come ashore in such numbers that it has been a serious mat-ter how to dispose of them. *This oa examination by Professor Gill was pronounced to be Aulostoma coloratum.

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On the destruction of fish in the vicinity of the Tortugas during the months of September and October, 1878

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