ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



805 



SEINING KENSICO LAKE. 

 Photograph by L. M. Retry. 



THE LOCUST LOBSTER. 



PERHAPS the most interesting member of 

 the Crustacea to be shown at the Aquar- 

 ium is the Locust Lobster (Scyllarides 

 aequinoctialis) , also known as Spanish Lob- 

 ster, Sea Roach and Mother Lobster. This pe- 

 culiar form occurs in Bermuda and Florida and 

 throughout the West Indies. It reaches a large 

 size, the female sometimes attaining a length of 

 three feet. The meat is edible and is said to be 

 superior even to that of the common lobster. 



Like the spiny lobster it has no large pincers 

 and so is unable to defend itself, relying on its 

 hard shell and secretive habits for protection. 

 It is taken in traps and is also speared in its 

 lurking places about the reefs. 



The Aquarium had made 

 arrangements with the game 

 warden to secure some of 

 the fish for exhibition pur- 

 poses, but was able to ob- 

 tain only a few yellow perch 

 and black bass. The largest 

 bass taken measured nine- 

 t e e n inches in length and 

 was estimated by the sports- 

 men present to weigh about 

 seven pounds, while the 

 newspaper reporters raised 

 this a couple of pounds more, 

 thus making a verj' respec- 

 table fish for a small-mouth 

 bass. Subsequent proceed- 

 ings, however, proved that 

 this fish had unusual cajjacity for shrinkage for 

 it died that night and when weighed tipped the 

 beam at four and one one-quarter pounds ! 



A hook was found imbedded in the upper jaw 

 of this fish as was also the case with another 

 large bass which we were unable to procure. C. G. 



KENSICO LAKE BASS. 



ALL of the lakes of the Croton water sys- 

 tem contain fish in considerable numbers 

 and of various species, and are the resort 

 of numerous anglers. 



When Kensico Lake, near 

 Valhalla, New York, was 

 drained in September the 

 enthusiastic anglers of the 

 surrounding country p u r - 

 posed to transfer the fish to 

 nearby lakes, and, by pri- 

 vate subscription, purchased 

 a seine. Owing to inexperi- 

 ence in hauling nets and in 

 handling live fish the venture 

 was not verj^ successful, and 

 the same amount of money 

 invested in fry would no 

 doubt have brought more 

 satisfactory results. 



NEW BERMUDA EXHIBITS. 



AMONG the collections brought from Ber- 

 muda during tlie past summer are three 

 species of strikingh^ colored small fishes 

 whicli have not previously been seen at the 

 Aquarium. Two of these belong in the genus 

 Iridio in the family of Wrasse-fishes (Labiidae) 

 and are thus related to our local Tautog and 

 Cunner. They are so different from these fishes 

 in appearance and habits, however, that the 

 casual observer would perceive no ground for 

 relationship. There are now on exhibition in 

 the same tank specimens of the Doncella or 

 pudding-wife (Iridio radiatus) , the Slippery 



LOCUST LOBSTER. 



