172 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



The Leather-jacket of Pensacola, Batistes capriscus, called "Trigger Fish" in the Carolinas, and 

 at Key West and the Bermudas known as the "Turbot," occasionally finds its way as far north as 

 Massachusetts. It is, however, of no importance north of Florida. In the Bermudas it is con- 

 sidered a valuable food -fish. According to Mr. Stearns, "it is very common in the Gulf of Mexico 

 from Key West to the Mississippi River, and lives in deep waters near the coast on the grounds 

 where Red Snappers and Groupers are caught. It is one of the most abundant species. In regions 

 where it is not eaten it is regarded as a pest by the fishermen from its habit of stealing bait from 

 their hooks. Its manner of taking the bait is rather peculiar, I think, for instead of pulling the 

 line backward or to one side it raises it upward so quietly that the fisherman does not perceive the 

 motion, and then, by careful nibbling, cleans the hook without injury to itself. Expert fishermen, 

 however, can tell by the "lifting of the lead," as it is called, what is going on below, and know what 

 they have to contend against. The usual remedy is to seek other fishing grounds where Leather- 

 jackets are not so troublesome. When one of these crafty fish has been hooked there is not much 

 probability that it can be landed, for its sharp, powerful teeth are almost sure to cut some part of 

 the gear, enabling it to escape. I have several times known of their biting in two the large red- 

 snapper hooks on which they were caught. They remain throughout the year on the fishing 

 grounds, where the water varies from ten to forty fathoms. On these same grounds it is probable 

 that they spawn." 



Only adult specimens have been seen in West Florida. More could probably be learned of its 

 spawning habits in the vicinity of Key West, where it occurs in shallow water and quite near to 

 the shore. At Key West it is known as the Turbot, and is a favorite article of food. It is to be 

 seen almost daily in the market. 



The skin of this species is used for scouring and polishing purposes at Key West and the 

 Bahama Islands. In the Bermudas also the skin of the Turbot is used by carpenters almost to 

 the exclusion of sand-paper, the former being better adapted for fine work in polishing wood. 



51. THE SEA-HORSE FAMILY HIPPOCAMPIDJE. 



There are one or more species of the Sea-horse family on the Atlantic coast, and also one 

 on that of California. Their strange shapes and interesting habits render them very popular 

 inmates of aquaria, and dried specimens are frequently sold in the curiosity shops in seaside towns. 



The ordinary species of the Western Atlantic is the Hippocampus heptagonm; this also occurs 

 in Europe. There have been only one or two instances of the capture of this fish north of Cape 

 Cod ; one was seined with a school of mackerel on George's Bank in August, 1873. Two or three 

 specimens have been taken at Wood's Holl during the last ten years, and instances of their capture 

 in Connecticut and about the mouth of the Hudson are not rare. 



A Sea-horse was described many years ago under the name H. hudsoniw, but it seems to be 

 identical with H. heptagonus. On the New Jersey coast and south to the Gulf of Mexico it appears 

 to be very abundant. An excellent account of the habits of this fish may be found in an article 

 by the Rev. Samuel Lockwood in the "American Naturalist." 1 Three other species occur on our 

 southern coast. H. ingens, the Californiau species, is very large, often attaining the length of 

 eight to ten inches. 



52. THE PIPE-FISH FAMILY SYNGNATHIDJE. 



The Pipe Fishes, Syngnathida, which are closely related to the sea-horse, but have small 

 heads and elongated bodies, so that at first sight they closely resemble small eels, are found 

 nearly everywhere on our coasts, living among the eel-grass and feeding upon very minute marine 



1 LOCKWOOD, SAMUKL. The Sea Horse and its young. <Amer. Naturaliat, i, 1867, pp. 225-234. 



