352 NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OP 



63. Tetraodon turgidus, Mitch. 



Toad-Fish, 



Tetraodon turgidus., Mitch. — DeKay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 327, 



plate Iv, fig. 178. 



Dark olive green above and on the upper part of the sides, with 

 fine black points intermixed. Abdomen and beneath, pure opaque 

 white. Lower part of sides ochre yellow, with six or seven large 

 vertically oblong and rounded blotches of brown. Above these are 

 occasionally traces of dark mottling ; fins pale yellowish. Iris red- 

 dish brown, with an inner circle of a coppery or brassy color. 



This fish is frequently caught in the bay of Great Egg harbor, 

 while fishing for better species. When drawn up, it immediately in- 

 flates its body to a prodigious size by means of short jerking inspira- 

 tions, the sac becoming distended with air if in the atmosphere, or 

 water, when submerged. By scratching it on the belly or pounding it, 

 it will readily inflate itself several times in succession, and again dis- 

 charge its load at a single effort through mouth and gills. When in- 

 flated and thrown on the water, it will sometimes float to a great dis- 

 tance before collapsing. 



The skin around the eye of this species is contractile to such an ex- 

 tent as completely to close up the latter by a kind of puckering. 



This fish is most abundant in summer ; rarely, if ever, taken during 

 the winter, and only occasionally in early spring. 



64. Carcharias c^ruleus, DeKay. 



The small blue SharJc. 



Carcharias caruleus, DeJCay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 349, plate 



Ixi, fig. 200. 



The blue shark was quite abundant in the bay during the summer, 

 and quite a number were captured by various parties. Tliey were 

 taken by means of large shark-hooks baited with eels or other fish, a 

 small keg being used as a float. Several of the boats always carried 

 shark-fines, which were put out when on suitable ground, the buoy 

 being allowed to float oft' to some distance. On getting a bite the 

 small lines would be taken up, the anchor raised, and every effort 

 made to tire out the shark. Sometimes the fish would be towed to an 

 island and hauled up, or again drawn in to the side of the boat, and 

 killed by means of a harpoon or sword. The largest taken in this way 

 was about nine feet long. 



Though sufficiently abundant to be seen any day swimming with 

 their dorsal fins above the surface, no instance was mentioned by the 

 inhabitants of their attacking bathers while in the water. 



Small specimens were occasionally taken on hooks baited for other 

 fish. 



