FOOD OF YOUNG WINTER FLOUNDERS. 13 
Foop AND PARASITES OF 398 SmMaty WINTER FLOUNDERS DiIsTRIBUTED ACCORDING 
Tro Size or Fisn, NumBer or Fisn, AND NUMBER OF STATIONS. 
[Figures referring to food represent average per cent of volume; figures referring to parasites represent 
numerical average except under Sporozoa, where they indicate the number of fish in which cysts were 
found.] 
! 
Aver- : | 
age cae 
Num-|length|.,;. — ‘hr val | “4.” | Iso- |Cuma-| Ostra- | Cope-| Insect 
ber. | in BABEL eras: Shrimp.| Crus- | at pods.| cea. | codes. pods.| larve. 
| milli- tacea, | POCS- 
meters. 
| 
Size of fish, in milli- 
meters: 
Under 25........ 8 Pepe) | ee eet ce era 9 1.8 SBS err ee ee ee 0.6 50.9 0.3 
Potosi se. 142 A al SEES SE eesee 0. 05 14 | 38 0.15 |} 0.25 ed Ld 04 
GUO WO. sos donde 113 Gl SpOsvi sy |scerss. = (bets. As oad 38 61 79 .23 . 23 21 
BOLO LUE. a ccncc 35 S854 Jace: - 0. 02 ie ol Bae eae 37.2 | 3.3 -13 dl | (4) .38 
101 to 125..2..22: Abr aaea to. 6 aN Roce 33.9 | .66 (4) AS | oaae .3l 
126:t0 150. 2... .5...2 30 | 136.6 07 1,27 6258) |socy.s 26.6 cin WA [aad - cok SOS". AEX ES Lb 
USL toW75: 20 tt LON MIGIAGN|2o= -<clacs< > 1 eal R59) ] |S Seo58| poe one Gye |S ascee 
176 to 200..-.'.... EE 8 eed Bo acnod e SBeene ey Geass Asad OI ier A 8 SES EY Pe ob ee RY 
201 to/225-.-..... 244 byl ee Se ee CE Besesnar ene | DA gileascce|tdocaae pasate | -ptead -ceLtiag 
Number of fish......]....-- eae BSS 2 8 16 4} 329] 30 19 80 | 99 27 
Number of stations.-.|.....-|------- 2 2 8 3 35 11 ll 19 16 10 
Aver- | 
age Bi- | Uni- Ne- | C& Acan- 
Num-jlength | Lim- | valve) valve) Anne- ere len- | Dé- | Spo- | Trem-| Nema-) tho- 
ber. in }ulus.| mol- | mol- | lids. teans.| tet- bris. |rozoa. atodes.| todes. | ceph- 
7 milli- lusks.|lusks. [Meaiis- vata. ala. 
meters. 
Size of fish, in 
millimeters: 
Under 25..... 8 
26 t0 50...-.- 142 
51 to 75. 113 
416't0: 100... 35 | 
101 0 125. ... 45 
126 to 150.... 30 
151 to 175... 19 
176 to 200. ... 4 
201 to 225. ... 2 | 2 
Number of fish. ".|-2.22]5..22<< 
Number of sta- 
MOMS as eee e fae be stesso ss'S 1 14 9 34 1 1 35 19 19 14 3 
1 Trace. 
It will be seen from the table that small winter flounders feed 
principally upon amphipods and other small Crustacea, and upon 
annelids. At the same time they are not restricted to Crustacea 
and on but evidently can utilize a variety of alternative ma- 
terial. 
The habits of the flounder—as one may observe its behavior in 
an aquarium which is provided with sufficient sand—while strictly 
those of a bottom fish (so far, at least, as its position is concerned) 
are in reality those of an active and predatory fish. The food to 
which it will most readily react must be in the shape of objects 
which are in motion. Although it is by no means a swift swimmer 
it is capable of very quick movements within a limited range. In 
its favorite position it lies flat on the bottom, often partly covered 
with sand. When not concealed by a covering of sand, it quickly 
assumes a color and marking which cause it to blend indistinguish- 
ably with its surroundings. From this natural ambush it makes 
sudden dashes—with surprising quickness—upon objects which move 
