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CALIFORNIA WATERS RARE FISH Many of the Immense Swarms in the Pacific Virtually Unknown That California is still ignorant of the vast resources of tin sea is evidenced by the large number of tropical fish heretofore unknown in our state coming to the State Fisheries Laboratory at Ijdiig Hcach Fislurmiii in southern California arc becoming interested in making new finds and are vying with each other In turning over to the laboratory new and unusual fish for identification identificationAmong Among the ran unknown fishes which have recently been identified is a snipe fish picked up on the bvach at Avalon Santa Catalina Island so called because of tin long slender snout at the end of which is found the small mouth This fish was first named from one taken near Laysau Island in tin Hawaiian group but the fish has a wide distribution having been found in Kast Africa the Indian Ocean China and the Mediterranean Ililike other rare fish taken in our waters it is so small and sloxv moving that it cannot well be a stray from far distant waters This heightens the interest Very greatly as it means the discover of what may In a new resident species speciesAnother Another fish known as the IJuimer was taken last spring off apt Sail Lucas Iowcr California Although belonging to the same family as our ycl lovtaii Jt has never before occurred on the west coast of North America AmericaA A crested band fish a rare and beautiful fish of strange form was discovered swimming in the breakers at Utug Reach on July IT 1019 This strange fish is about four feet long eight inches deep and only one and a half inches wide The skin is smooth without scales except for a single row against the dorsal fin and of a bright silvery color with purplish tints on the head The eye is large the mouth small armed with small bristle like teeth and the fins are bright red This is the first specimen which has fallen into the hands of naturalists in America In fact it is so rare that probably not more than a dozen speci ¬ mens have ever been taken An Italian scientist was the first to discover and name the fish fishOf Of equal interest is a deep sia monster captured in the fine mesh ints of the Fish and Saint Com ¬ missions patrol launch Alba cure So rare is the greatmouthed ferociouslooking creature that it has no common name It is known to scientists as Idiacanthus aiitrostomus This fish js about thrcu inches long jet black in color nud wiiriiilike in form A row of luminous spots are placed on each side supposedly supplying lisht for at I depth normally inhabited by this fish there is litlc lishl In 1SOO a specimen was taken nvar Catalinu Island at a depth of J03 fathoms and closely nlrted species have been taken in the midAtlantic at a depth of l7r 0 fathoms fathomsTile Tile plans for the new fisheries laboratory to be built at San Pedro call for an exhibition hall where I host and similar ruvties of the deep sea iliav In txhibitfd to tin1 public The fact that a corps of th stllos scientists are close at hand riiitly to identify the strange creatures captured ly southern California fishermen aTsufcs a wider knowledge of the suas resources
