File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (18133459766).jpg

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo13amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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(...) placed in the systematic fish collection is a very showy specimen, but it should be remembered that in its natural environment there are so few red rays left in the sunlight which penetrates the mass of blue-green water, that the red color of the fish cannot show. In latitude 39° 39' north and longitude 72° 07' west, Zenopsis, a little-known deep water relative of the European "John Dory," was found. When a cast of Zenopsis is placed on exhibition, a direct comparison with the European fish can be made. In the same locality was taken a single specimen of the small rare shark Catidus rotifer, so-named from the delicate netlike color pattern on its back and sides. Two flounders, Paralichthis oblongus and Limanda ferruginea, previously not contained in our collection, also proved to be common in deep water within fifty miles of New York. Observations of no less interest were made on other commoner fish also. The Carolina sea robin and the fluke which abound in our bays in summer were found scattered in the deep water off shore, indicating that with colder weather they migrate into the depths. We caught a single alewife along the Long Island shore. This species of herring with other similar fishes formerly ascended our fresh water streams to spawn in incredible numbers, which have gradually decreased on account of the damming and pollution of coastwise streams. A number of years ago Professor Baird attributed the decrease of cod which has gone on off the New England coast, not to over-fishing but to decrease in these smaller fishes which used to fill the waters adjacent to the streams where they spawned throughout a great part of the year and which formed an important factor in the cod's food supply. The facts gleaned on this short trip with the steam trawl point out the importance of a thorough study of our local fishes, which it is hoped there will soon be opportunity to undertake. A large hake from the catch. The fish from the net are all dumped in a pile on the steamer's deck, to be dexterously sorted with pitch forks, cleaned and tossed below, where they are immediately buried in ground ice so that they will reach the market in good condition (...)

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