80 



DEPARTMENT OF THE NATAL SERVICE 



9. FOOD. 



The contents of the alimentary tracts of seventy-five muttonfish were examined to 

 obtain some data in regard to the food of the species. The record's show that the 

 muttonfish draws upon Molluscs, Echinoderms and Crustaceans almost exclusively for 

 its food. Of the 75 specimens examined, 59 had eaten Mollusca, 47 Echinodermata, 

 and 40 Crustacea, percentages of 79, 63, and 53, respectively. 



The relative abundance of the chief forms found in the digestive tracts of the 75 

 specimens is shown in the following table: — 



Two specimens had each eaten a small fish, one was a small smelt, (Osmerus 

 mordax) ; the other could not be identified. The following forms were kindly identified 

 by Dr. A. G. Huntsman, Curator of the St. Andrews Biological Station. 



Annulata — 

 Polynoids. 

 Phascolosoma 



sp' 



Cistenides granulata (Malmgren). 



Crustacea* — 



Pagurus Jcroyeri (Stimpson). 

 Pagurus acadianus (Benedict). 

 EHchthonius ruhricornis (Stimpson). 

 Aeginella longicornis (Kroyer). 

 Nymphon grossipes (L). 

 Jaera marina (Fabr.t). 

 Gammarus locusta (L). 

 Balanus halanoides (L). 

 Pycnogonum littorale (Strom). 

 Leptocheirus pinguis (Stimpson). 

 Unciola irrorata (Say). 

 Crago septemspinosus (Say). 



Mollusca — 



Modiolaria disrors (L). 

 Modiola modiolus (L). 

 Buccinnm undatum (L). 

 Margarita undulata (Sowerby). 

 Pecten magellanir.iis (Gmelin). 

 AporrJiais occidentalis (Beck). 

 Cardium pinnulatwn (Conrad). 

 Velutina undata (Brown). 



Mollusca — Continued. 



Velutina laevigata (Gould). 

 Yoldia sapotilla (Gould). 

 Cyclo.cardia horealis (Conrad). 

 Polynices groenlandica (Miiller). 

 Nucula tenuis (Montagu). 

 Crenella glandula (Totten). 

 Crenella decussata (Montagu). 

 Lyonsia hyalina (Conrad). 

 Littorina litorea (L). 

 Astarte undata (Gould). 

 Saxicava arctica (L). 

 Mya arenaria (L). 

 Acmaea testudin-alis (L). 

 Solenomya velum, (Say). 

 Corophium honellii (M. E.). 



ECHIVODERMATA 



Stronqidocentrotns droehachiensis 



(Miiller). 

 Ophiopholis aculeata (L). 

 E chinarachnius parma (Lamarck). 



ClIORDATA — 



Ascidiopsis prunum (Miiller). 

 Caesira retortiformis (Verrill). 

 Tetradidemnum alhidum (Verrill). 



