96 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



and finally into the mud itself, where many of them died. But 

 some survived until the ponds were refilled by rains, and these 

 survivors effectually dealt with mosquito brood 7 as soon as it 

 appeared. Not an adult was allowed to come to maturity. 



Had these ponds been stocked with either Fundiilus or Cyp- 

 rinodon early in the season, and had a barrel been sunk in the 

 deepest portion of each to furnish a retreat for the fish during 

 the droughts, not a mosquito could possibly have hatched from 

 them while millions did actually breed there. 



The last paragraph refers to a suggestion made by Mr. Seal 

 that, in pools of large area which are likely to dry up, a barrel be 

 sunk in the deepest portion to serve as a retreat for the fish 

 which would be killed off otherwise during the dry spell, leaving 

 the pool in excellent shape for the wrigglers when rain refilled 

 it. This suggestion is eminently practical and is a cheap way 

 of dealing with many depressed areas which cannot be readily 

 drained. • 



FUNDULUS MAJAUS. 



Striped KilMsh, May fish, Rock fish, Bass Killy. 



This is the largest of the species, attaining a length of from 

 six to eight inches and it ranges from Cape Cod to Florida. 

 ''The adults of this species do not go above salt or quite brackish 

 water; nor do they leave the channels and spread over the flats 

 and marshes as do' hcteroclitiis and diaphanus. They move in 

 schools and se«m never to rest, going with the tide in the chan- 

 nels until it turns and then quickly moving out. This species 

 has the least value as a destroyer of mosquito larvae." 



The sexes mav be distinguished at once by their difference in 

 color, the female having several narrow lateral stripes, while 

 the male has distinct cross bands, varying from twelve to twenty 

 in number. In the male the sides and upper parts are dark oliva- 

 ceous ; the sides are silvery, lower parts a beautiful yellowish 

 green; the sides are also marked by a varying number of dark 

 bands, the width of which varies also. In the female the lower 

 parts are white, upper parts olivaceous, and along the sides is a 

 median dark band and below this are two short, interrupted dark 

 bars. 



In winter it inhabits deep, muddy holes at the mouths of 

 creeks. In captivity it is the least hardy of all the marine killi- 

 fishes. 



