FISHES OF NEW YORK 69 



Reproduction. Spawning takes place in the Delaware during 

 May. The eggs are deposited in depths of 1 to 5 fathoms on 

 lard bottom in brackish or nearly fresh water. Prof. Ryder 

 states that the eggs are extruded by rubbing the belly either 

 igainst hard places on the river bed or against the rough 

 jodies of the males, two or more of which accompany each 

 'emale. The gravid roe fish are larger than the males. Prof. 

 Ryder found the ova more or less adhesive immediately after 

 ;heir removal from the abdomen, but the sticky mucous cover- 

 ng is soluble in water. The period of hatching varies from 

 'our to six days. 



Food. Up to the third month of its life the young sturgeon 

 las minute conical teeth in its jaws, and at this age it is be- 

 loved to subsist on " rhizopods, unicellular algae, infusoria, 

 ninute larvae of insects and worms, crustaceans, etc." Still 

 ollowing the observations of Prof. Ryder, we learn that the 

 ;turgeon, when it has reached a length of 1 inch to 1^ inches, 

 las minute teeth on the floor of the pharynx and feeds on 

 imall water fleas, and probably algae, worms, embryo fishes, 

 nsects and fresh-water copepods. Later in life the fish seeks 

 arger crustaceans, and the adults occasionally contain frag- 

 nents of mussel shells. The young fish have been caught under 

 he ice in midwinter and are known to pass most of the year in 

 resh water. 



A single small example of this sturgeon was brought to the 

 ^ew York aquarium from Gravesend bay May 13, 1896, and was 

 ilive and in good condition in November 1898. 



Dr Smith records the occurrence of the species along with 

 :he common sturgeon at Woods Hole Mass., but says it is less 

 lumerous. It is captured in the traps. 



Order rhombogaxoidea 



Gar Pikes 



Family lepisosxeidae 



Gar Pikes 



Genus lbpisosteus Lacdp^de 



Body elongate, subcylindric, covered with hard, rhombic 

 ;:anoid scales or plates which are imbricated in obllqne series 

 unning downward and backward; both jaws more or less elon- 



