The Scyphophori, Haplomi, and Xenomi 197 



they may be observed feeding for long periods. They are 

 almost invariably found in running water well out in the stream, 

 or at least where the current is strongest and where floating 

 matter is most abundant, for it is upon floating matter that 

 they seem chiefly to depend. They are not known to jump out 

 of the water to catch insects flying in the air or resting upon 

 vegetation above the water surface, nor do they seem to feed 

 to any extent upon all small crustaceans or other portions of 

 the plankton beneath the surface. 



"When alarmed and they are wary and very easily fright- 

 ened they escape by skipping or jumping over the water, 



FIG. 154. Everglade Minnow, Jordanella floridce Goode & Bean. 



of Florida. 



Everglades 



2 or 3 feet at a skip. They rise entirely out of the water, and at 

 a considerable angle, the head pointing upward. In descending 

 the tail strikes the water first and apparently by a sculling 

 motion new impetus is acquired for another leap. This skipping 

 may continue until the school is widely scattered. When a 

 school has become scattered, and after the cause of their fright 

 has disappeared, the individuals soon rejoin each other. First 

 two will join each other and one by one the others will join them 

 until the whole school is together again. Rarely do they at- 

 tempt to dive or get beneath the surface; when they do they 

 have great difficulty in keeping under and soon come to the 

 surface again." 



