New York. Feb. 14, 1014. No. 3 



of™ 





Published by the contributors to advance the Science of cold- 

 blooded vertebrates. 



CONCERNING THE OCCURRENCE OF 



SUCKERS (ECHENEIDID^) ON 



BALISTID^. 



During a period of prevailingly calm weather, 

 August S to 25, 1912, in an area included betAveen 

 the latitudes 2()° and 32° N. and the longitudes 49° 

 and 62° W., I had an opportunity to observe from 

 the deck of the American whaling brig "Daisy" 

 considerable numbers of one or more species of 

 pelagic trigger fish (Balistida>). A photograph of 

 a specimen captured on August 11 furnishes a 

 satisfactory identification of the family. 



These fishes were called by the sailors " old 

 Avives " and " leather jackets." Schools of them 

 darted round the vessel, swimming mostly on their 

 sides, and the fishes readily bit hooks baited with 

 sperm whale meat. The dorsal fin was high and 

 situated well posteriorly ; some of the individuals 

 were spotted or blotched with white. The largest 

 specimen caught measured 28 centimeters in 

 length. 



On August 9 (latitude 27° N., longitude 

 02° W.) I saw one accompanied by three small, 

 slender, dark-colored fishes (remoras) which 

 appeared to be attached to the trigger fish's side, 



