1G8 HABITS OF PIPE-FISH. 



The Great Pipe-fish, or Needle-fish {Sy^ignathiis acus ; 

 German: Grosse Meernadel; French: U Aiguille de 

 Mer), is found at low water, among sea- weeds, and at 

 other times in deep water. It attains a length of be- 

 tween 12in. and IGin. in this country. It swims about 

 slowly, in a singular manner, horizontally or perpendi- 

 cularly, with the head downwards or upwards, and in 

 every attitude of contortion, in search of its food, which 

 seems to consist chiefly of marine insects. 



It is believed these fish are able, by dilating their 

 throats at pleasure, to draw their food up their long, 

 cylindrical, beak-like mouths, as water is drawn up the 

 pipe of a syringe. In common with all the others 

 belonging to this family, this fish is of no use either 

 as food or bait, its dry rigid body being much like 

 a piece of wood. 



The Deep-nosed, or Lesser Pipe-fish (Syvgnathns 

 tyjMe; German: Kleine Meernadel ; French: Le Ti/phle), 

 is almost as abundant as the preceding species. 



DEEP-^'OSED PIPE-FISH [SijjiijnatJms trjphle). 



The species next to be noticed belong to a different 

 group in the same family, and differ from the former 

 in having a dorsal fin only — no pectoral, ventral, or 

 anal fin, and no abdominal pouch in either sex. They are 

 much more slender and worm-like in shape. There is 

 a great difference in the motions and changes of posi- 

 tion observable in this genus. The marsupials, which 

 (as we have seen) possess a stift", short tail, provided 



