ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



713 



reefs the hog-fish {Lachiiohiimus) and tlie 

 porgy, (Calainus), are captured. The i)arrots. 

 {Scaridae), are occasionally taken by baiting 

 the trap with mussel, but vegetable bait, such as 

 cactus with the spines removed, banana, and cer- 

 tain algae, is far preferable. The Serraiiidar 

 and Lutianidac are captured most successfully 

 with white-bait, {Atherina and Stolepliunis 

 spp.), mashed and mi.ved with sand and rolled 

 into large balls. The traps for these fishes 

 must be placed around the edge of the reefs, 

 in from three to eight fathoms of water. Sur- 

 face fishes, such as bonito and amber-fish are 

 usually caught with a hand line. In fishing for 

 these species a chum of ground whitebait, is 

 made and scattered over the side of the boat. 

 A short, stout hand-line only three or four feet 

 long is used and the fish are landed at once 

 without plaj'ing and placed in the live-well of 

 the boat. Squid is the principal and by far the 

 best bait. The seine is used for most of the 

 other Carangidae. 



The collecting boat is fitted with a live-well, 

 and as the traps are hauled the iish are placed 

 in this well and taken to the live cars which are 

 si.x to eight feet long, four feet wide and four 

 feet deep. The frame of these cars is construct- 

 ed of wood and is covered with wire netting. 

 The fish are then separated according to species, 

 and placed in their respective cars. The Ser- 

 ranidae are kept together except when large, 

 and in this case they are placed in a stronger 

 and larger car where there are no small fish of 

 an}' description whatever. This family is fed 

 about three times a week on small fish, |)rinei- 

 pally pilchards. 



The angels, which are not at all angelic in 

 their dispositions, are by far the most difficult 

 to keep in good condition in captivity^, as they 

 are continually fighting. The result is tliat 

 great numbers of them are blinded by the pre- 

 opercular spines of their opponents. Their food, 

 in captivity, consists of crushed mussels and sea 

 urchins. 



The surgeon-fish, (Hepatus) is also a fighter, 

 especially in the breeding season, and it is a 

 common occurrence to find fish of this genus 

 with ten or a dozen wounds about the body, in- 

 flicted by the caudal spine carried by the mem- 

 bers of this genus. Their food consists of 

 crushed mussels, polyzoa and algae. Stones 

 having these attached are gathered and placed 

 in the cars. 



The parrots must be very carefully watched, 

 as there appears to be always one ruler among 



tlura who, while they try to feed, will dart at 

 and strike the others, and will frequently ram so 

 hard with the heavy jaws that the fish struck 

 will not recover. Their food consists of bi- 

 valves and algae attached to stones. The stones 

 usually selected contain the burrowing mollusc, 

 {Pholas, etc.) and are covered with the salt 

 water mussel, {Mytilus), and {Area). It is nec- 

 essary that the stones be placed in the cars as 

 the parrot must have something hard to crush 

 with its pharyngeal teeth. The species of 

 Morays, {Aluraenidae) are separated, and they 

 must be fed regularly, otherwise they become 

 so ferocious that they attack one another. They 

 are fed on small fish of any species. 



The Ustracldae, the cow and cuckold fishes, 

 are separated from all other fish, and are never 

 left in the same well as they throw oft' a slimy, 

 poisonous substance that is fatal to all other 

 fish. One or two left in the well over night 

 will kill the whole catch. Their food consists 

 of soft parts of mussels. 



Two daj's before the fish are separated and 

 the stocli selected for shipment, they are fed 

 very lavishly, then thej' are assorted and jolaeed 

 in one large car with compartments. This car 

 will hold comfortabl}' five to si.v hundred fish of 

 the size usually shipped. The fish are not fed 

 again before shipment nor en route, making a 

 total of four or five da3's without food. The 

 reason for this is that the}' do not properly di- 

 gest their food during transportation, and any- 

 thing taken is regurgitated in a short time un- 

 changed. 



The large car is taken to tlie ship, where the 

 fish are hoisted on board in buckets and placed 

 in tanks constructed for the purpose, provided 

 by the New York Aquarium. The shijj's pumps 

 for the supply of sea-water are started about 

 four or five hours previous to placing the fish in 

 tile tanks, in order to thoroughly cleanse tlie 

 pump and piping of any deposits or corroded 

 matter that might be injurious to the specimens. 

 The water is forced freely through the tanks 

 until the northern edge of the Gulf Stream is 

 reached. The temperature from Bermuda to 

 the Gulf Stream from early June until Septem- 

 ber, ranges from 76° to 86° Fahrenheit. When 

 the Gulf Stream is reached the air pump and its 

 connections are overhauled and placed in readi- 

 ness for use. In crossing early in June, the 

 Gulf Stream will range from 76° to 78°, but 

 at its western border the temperature of the 

 water will dro|] from 10° to :20° within five 

 minutes. At the slightest sign of a rapid fall, 

 the water is shut oft' and the air applied instead 



