dip-netted from a school of 10-12 fish on July 18, 1957, are the only records of 

 captured specimens of the species. However, large schools of adults were ob- 

 served occasionally during the late summer and early fall months in Bolivar 

 Roads, 50-75 yards from the culverts. 



ChloToscomhTus chrysuTus (Linnaeus) Bumper 



Bumpers were recorded on three occasions; a single juvenile on August 20, 

 1954, a large school of juveniles on July 1, 1957, and a small school of young on 

 October 23, 1957. Captured specimens ranged in length from 5.0 to 11.0 cm. 



Selene vomer (Linnaeus) Lookdown 



A single specinnen, 12.7 cm. in length, was taken in a seine haul on November 

 18, 1955, in area "A". 



Trachinotus carolinus (Linnaeus) Common Pompano 



Juvenile and young pompano, varying in length from 1.0 to 8.8 cm,, were 

 taken from mid -June through July in 1954, 1956, and 1957, and from July through 

 September in 1955. 



During the collecting period a dozen or so juvenile pompano, 2-4 cm. in 

 length, were placed in laboratory aquaria, usually two or three at a time. These 

 specimens seemed to be continually in motion, swimming back and forth along the 

 sides of the tank, just below the surface. They fed aggressively and preferred bits 

 of shrimp, but would often chase and devour larval fish. Observations of their 

 feeding habits revealed one interesting fact. On each occasion when they were not 

 fed at least once a day, the pompano gradually became emaciated and died in 3 or 

 4 days, even though they seemed to resume feeding after such a lapse. This might 

 be explained by their seemingly high rate of metabolism, and the possibility of 

 serious systematic damage through even a tennporary lack of food. 



Oligoplites saurus (Bloch and Schneider) Leatherjacket 



Leatherjackets first appeared in the vicinity of the culvert as 3.0- to 4.0- 

 centimeter juveniles in July, usually in small groups of 5-10 fish, and were 

 present sporadically through mid -November. At this time they averaged 14.0 

 cm., and often occurred in schools of approximately 100 fish, feeding actively 

 on larval menhaden. 



CORYPHAENIDAE Dolphins 



Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus Dolphin, Dorado 



What is undoubtedly the most unusual specimen taken during the collecting 

 period was dip-netted on the final day of the project. May 27, 1958. A small 

 "different -looking" fish, observed swimming slowly near the surface close to the 

 culvert, proved to be a larval dolphin, 2.5 cm. in length. The fish was very 

 lethargic and died within several hours. As dolphins are primarily a pelagic fish 

 of the open sea, the low salinity {8.8%c)oi the lagoon at the tinne of capture might 

 have been responsible for its poor condition. 



Two species of dolphin are known from the Gulf of Mexico, C. hippurus Linnaeus 

 and C. equiselis Linnaeus. The lagoon specimen was identified on the basis of 

 criteria given by Gibbs and CoUette (1959), nannely, by the presence of vertical 

 bands, the barred appearance of the dorsal fin, and dorsal ray count. 



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