168 HABITS OF PIPE-FISH. 



Tlie Great Pipe-fish, or Needle-fish [Sf/nguathiis acus ; 

 German: Grosse Meernadel ; French: UAiijuille de 

 Mer), is found at low water, among sea- weeds, and at 

 other times in deep water. It attains a length of be- 

 tween 12in. and 16in. in this country. It swims about 

 slowly, in a singular manner, horizontally or perpendi- 

 cularly, with the head downwards or upwards, and in 

 every attitude of contortion, in search of its food, w^liich 

 seems to consist chiefly of marine insects. 



It is believed these fish are able, by dilating their 

 throats at pleasure, to draw their food up their long, 

 cylindi'ical, beak-like mouths, as water is drawn up the 

 pipe of a syringe. In common with all the others 

 belonging to this family, this fish is of no use either 

 as food or bait, its dry rigid body being much like 

 a piece of wood. 



The Deep-nosed, or Lesser Pipe-fish (Sjjiifjnathus 

 typhle; German: Kleine Meernadel; French: Le Ti/phle), 

 is almost as abundant as the preceding species. 



DEEP-NOSED PIPE-FISH {Sjjnuiuitlius typhJc). 



The species next to be noticed belong to a different 

 group in the same family, and differ from the former 

 in having a dorsal fin only — no pectoral, ventral, or 

 anal fin, and no abdominal pouch in either sex. They are 

 much more slender and w^orm-like in shape. There is 

 a great difference in the motions and changes of jiosi- 

 tion observable in this genus. The marsupials, which 

 (as we have seen) possess a stiff', short tail, provided 



