ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 809 



of the Western Reserve University of Cleve- AQUARIUM CENSUS. 



land, Ohio, have been working in connection * RECENT census of the fishes in the Aquar- 



with the Pennsylvania Commission of Fsheries lA jum shows that there are now on exhibi- 



and have thus far publislied two bulletins (Nos. * tion one hundred and twenty-six species. 



7 and 8, Dept. of Fisheries, Harrisburg, Pa.) Fresh water fishes 38 species. 



setting forth the following results: Local marine fishes 29 species. 



The swellings or tumors of the throat region Tropical fishes from Bermuda 



of the trout are due to hypertrophy of the thy- ^'^^ Key West 59 species. 



roid glands and are thus true goitres similar to ^^'^ *°°" ^^ '^''^'^'^'' ^'eather arrives the list of 



those of the human. That they are of the same ^°J^ ^^^^ '^"^^ fishes will be increased by about 



. . , 1. ii. i_ 11 • T ■ . 1 . , . a dozen species that do not live in this vicinity 



nature is shown both by their histological struc- . i. ^ i • i , . . . 



; , in summer but winch are regular winter resi- 



ture and by the fact that they yield to exactly ^^^^^ Our collection of fresh water fishes is 



the same treatment, viz., the iodine method. ^ot ^s large as it has been at times. 



They show no indication of a direct connec- The fresh water turtles at present number 



tion with cancer, and, while carcinoma or can- fifteen species, besides which we have the green, 



cerous tissue may occur in these goitreous try- hawksbill and loggerhead turtles as representa- 



roids, such a condition is no more common than tives of the marine species. The sea turtles are 



in human goitre. f^d regularly on cod-fish cut into pieces and in 



There is no evidence that this goitre is either 'Addition they are given once a week a bushel of 



infectious or contagious. Even experiments in ^^^^f^^' ^"d sea lettuce which they devour with 



. 1 ,- 11 J. J 11 .1 ,. , aviditv. One oi the green turtles has been in 



transplanting the diseased thvroid tissues to i, .• . r i 



, , • tlie Aquarium over fourteen years, 



healthy fishes gave only negative results. Qf invertebrates there are on exhibition about 



Fish goitre is quantitatively related in sever- thirty-five species, about half of which are 



ity to the general hygienic conditions, food, crustaceans. Repeated attempts have been made 



water supply and crowding of the hatchery. during the summer to bring the octopus alive to 



The ultimate cause of the goitre is unknown the Aquarium but all efforts have resulted in 



but in all probability it is due to disproportion failure. 

 or lack of certain elements necessary for nutri- 



tion. MORE FLORIDA FISHES FOR THE 



The food supplied to young carnivorous ACjUAKlUM. 

 fishes in hatcheries consist ordinarily of finely ' I 'H ROUGH the courtesy of Mr. Clifford 

 ground liver, heart and lung tissues from cattle, I Mallory of the jMallory Steamship Coin- 

 hogs and sheep. This diet evidently may in- P'Tiy, the Aquarium has lately had the 

 fluence the health of the fish in at least four privilege of special facilities in the shipment of 

 ways, as follows: fishes from Key West, Florida. Two large col- 



a. It is a highly unnatural food, lections have been received since July on the 



b. It is frequently fed in excessive amounts, Steamer Comal, both of them containing trop- 



c. It contains an excess of certain elements and ical species new to the exhibits at the Aquarium. 



a deficiency of others necessary for nor- There are serious difficulties in the way of 



mal nutrition, transporting live fishes by sea, which can only 



d. By bacterial decomjDosition. be surmounted by the co-operation of the officers 

 These researches have thus shown us that the of the steamship companies and of the vessels. 



throat tumors of the trouts and salmons are The assistance of Mr. ^Mallory and the officers 



merelj' goitres and that they are not directlj' of the Comal has meant good fortune for the 



connected with cancers. Furthermore they Aquarium. 



have suggested the means of preventing the The exhibits of tropical fishes are now finer 

 disease by controlling the food and improving than at any time in the history of the institu- 

 the sanitation of the hatcheries. Certain of the tion. The collection received on October 17 is 

 suggestions of Doctors Marine and Lenhart are the gift of Mr. Danforth Ferguson of Halesite, 

 already being tried out in the Pennsylvania Suffolk Co.. Long Island, N. Y., who also as- 

 State Fish Hatcheries. This is another excel- sisted in obtaining the specimens at Key West, 

 lent example of the way in which results ob- The Zoological Society is much indebted to Mr. 

 tained by investigation and experiment in the Ferguson for his friendly interest in the Aquar- 

 field of pure science may be put to practical use. ium. Both expeditions were in charge of Mr. 

 R. C. OsBURN. Chapman Grant of the Aquarium staff. C. H. T. 



