FISHES OF NEW YORK 349 



Peconic, and Mecox bays. Both young and adults were abun- 

 dant during the summer. 



Males, females and young were abundant at Ocean City N. J. 

 early in August 1887; but the males were more numerous than 

 the females. The egg pouches of the males were filled with 

 eyed embryos, arranged in four series on each side. A male 

 6^ inches long, taken near Ocean City, August 31, had the pouch 

 unsymmetrically filled, the left side containing more than two 

 thirds of the whole number of embryos and increasing in carry- 

 ing capacity from behind forward. This is the billfish at 

 Somers Point. 



In the aquarium the species is fond of shrimp eggs and small 

 Gammarus ; but, on account of the difficulty of securing 

 proper food, its life in captivity is usually short. In a slowly 

 circulating tank, at a temperature of 54° F. several individuals 

 were alive and, apparently, in good condition. 



Subfamily hif>pocamf»inae 

 Genus hippocampus Rafinesque 

 The body strongly compressed, the belly gibbous, tapering 

 abruptly to a long quadrangular, prehensile tail; head with a 

 distinct curved neck, placed nearly at a right angle with the 

 direction of the body, surmounted by a compressed occipital 

 crest, on the top of which is an angular, star-shaped coronet; 

 top and sides of the head with spines. Physiognomy remark- 

 ably horselike, like that of a conventional knight at chess. 

 Body and tail covered with bony plates, forming rings, those on 

 the body each with six spines or tubercles, those of the tail with 

 four; pectoral fins present, short and broad; anal minute, usually 

 present; dorsal fin moderate, opposite the vent; egg pouch in the 

 male a sac at the base of the tail, terminating near the vent. 



175 Hippocampus hudsonius DoKay 



Sea Horse; Hoi'sefish 



Hippocampus hudsonius De Kay, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 322, pi. 53, fig. 171, 

 1842; Storek, Syn. Fish. N. A. 2.39, 1846; Hist. Fish. Mass. 222, pi. 

 XXXIII, fig. 4, 1867; Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. 36, U. S. Nat. Mus. 907, 

 1883; Bean, 19th Rept. Commrs. Fish. N. Y. 243, 181X); Jordan & Evek- 

 MANN, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus. 777, 1896, pi. CXXI, fig. 327, 1900; 

 Mearns, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. X, 318, 1898; Bean, 52d Ann. 

 Rept. N. Y. State Mus. 101, 1900. 



