ANGLER FISHES — GILL. 605 



Although the ocean area covered by the sargassum is approximately 

 the same for unlimited time, there is, nevertheless, an ever-present 

 liability for drift of individual plants along its borders in directions 

 determined by currents and winds. Naturally the attaches of the 

 plants are drifted with them. Thus it happens that there are not 

 infrequent incursions of the Pterophryne on the American coast and 

 esi^ecially along that of Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts. 

 Dr. Hugh Smith 



in 1897 had an opportunity to collect many specimens of the fish in Vinej'ard 

 Sound off Woods Hole and to observe the behavior of numbers kept for several 

 weeks in the aquarium of the Bureau of Fisheries. The species occurs only as 

 an involuntary straggler in that region, and in thirty-five years has been ob- 

 served there during only five or six seasons. The prevalence of southerly winds 

 and the presence of masses of sargassum are essential to the appearance of the 

 fish on our north Atlantic coast, but even this combination often fails to yield 

 the species. The year in which there was the most noteworthy occurrence at 

 Woods Hole offshore winds prevailed in summer to an unusual degree, and in 

 July large quantities of sargassum were blown inshore from the Gulf Stream, 

 and with it the fish. During the forenoon of July 24, in company with Mr. 

 Vinal N. Edwards, 



Doctor Smith secured 22 specimens in the Vineyard Sound 



by simply dipping up the pieces of sargassum with a small net, the fish them- 

 selves not being visible in the water ; on the same day 28 specimens were col- 

 lected by other persons, and during the remainder of the summer about 50 

 more were obtained. The fishes transferred to the aquarium were from the 

 outset quite indifferent to captivity and maintained an attitude of repose that 

 was seldom broken. 



Under ordinary conditions the Pterophryne is a solitary being, 

 and there is no association in large or even small numbers. It is, in 

 fact, a quarrelsome fish, and as a ride different individuals will not 

 tolerate near approach of their fellows. If several are brought 

 together in a small aquarium, one may not only take advantage of its 

 larger size by nipping off the cutaneous tags of a smaller associate, 

 but end by eating it. Two confined in the Beaufort aquarium were 

 observed by Gudger to be 



continually fighting. In these daily combats the smaller suffered considerably, 

 its filamentous appendages and even the ends of its fins being bitten off. 



"\ATien the smaller fish was at last removed the survivor " did not 

 seem to miss its companion." Several, placed in a larger aquarium 

 at Woods Hole, 



occupied different parts of the aquarium — sometimes concealed among algae on 

 the bottom, sometimes hidden behind stones and other objects, sometimes lying 

 in rocky crevices, and sometimes suspended in or immediately beneath masses 

 of floating sargassum and most effectively concealed by their color and shape. 



If one, perchance, approached near another, resentment was shown 

 at the intrusion and, if large enough, the fish trespassed upon would 

 drive away the intruder. 



