THE TARPON 29 



(1936) that she studied a lady-fish leptocephalus for ten days. 

 It shrunk in length from two and one-quarter inches to less 

 than one inch when it looked like the adult fish. Probably this 

 change in size likewise occurs in the development of the tarpon. 

 If the tarpon develops into a true fish from this stage possibly 

 the larva has been overlooked by observers. 



Gill's prediction as to the early stage of the tarpon is sup- 

 ported by the discovery of P. N. van Kampen of the larva of 

 the Megalops cyprinoides in the brackish canals of Batavia, 

 which is here illustrated. 



van Kampen reports that when in the water it is quite 

 transparent and only its eyes and swim-bladder are distinctly 

 observable. The specimens collected by him varied in length 

 from .897 of an inch to 1.17 inches. It is not strange that so 

 minute and indistinct an object has eluded the scrutiny of ob- 

 servers for so long and it is possible that the larvae of our 

 tarpon abound in our local w^aters. I am, therefore, presenting 

 a drawing of the East Indian specie in the hope that some keen 

 eyed fisherman may identify the young of the tarpon. It is not 

 known when the larva changes into the true fish. The transla- 

 tion of van Kampen 's note will be found in Dr. Beebe's 

 fascinating book, entitled "Beneath Tropic Seas", which 

 should be read by every sea angler. 



The most interesting fact relating to the 3'oung of the tar- 

 pon reported since the last edition of this book has been sup- 

 plied by Dr. Hildebrand. The following is from his paper in 

 Copeia (April, 1934, No. 1) : 



"THE CAPTURE OF A YOUNG TARPON, TAR- 

 PON ATLANTICUS, AT BEAUFORT, NORTH CARO- 

 LINA.— In an article in Science (78, Sept. 29, 1933: 284- 

 285) entitled, "A Record of Young Tarpon at Sanibel 

 Island, Lee County, Florida," by Margaret Storey and 

 Louise j\r. Perry, reference is made to a young tarpon 

 taken at Beaufort, North Carolina. It is stated that the 

 specimen is in the Bureau of Fisheries. LTnfortunately, 



