234 BULLETIN OP THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



Family MUR£NIDv£. 



21. Gymnothorax nioringa (Cuvier). 



This apecies lives under coral heads and in rock piles. It is usually seen with the anterior third 



of the body protruding from the crevice. When fearing attack it will open its mouth in the si 



threatening manner, draw back a little, and assume a very hostile attitude. It thrust through the bodj 

 with a spear, it almost invariably escapes by tearing away. The large fish are capable of inflicting a 

 very painful wound, and sometimes attack human beings. About a dozen specimens weir seen during 

 the season, none over 4 feet long. (T.) 



22. Gymnothorax funebris ( Ranzani |. 



This ii>h is not quite so common as the preceding species. One was taken in the vicinity of Bush 

 Key among the small shallow tide pools. I T. 



Family BELONID/E. 



23. Tylosurus raphidoma ( Ranzani I. 



On a calm day a few of these fish maybe seen basking on the surface, usually quite tionleee 



They prey upon sardines, which they capture by darting into a school and frightening them. After 

 catching one they manipulate it very ingeniously with their jaws until it is pointed " head on" toward 

 the throat before anj endeavor is made to swallow it. They are themselves ruthlessly hunted by the 

 barracuda, w hich sometimes Mies its \ ictim in two and swallows one half, leaving the other portion, 

 which is actively wriggling about, to l»' devoured by another barracuda. (T.) 



Family HEMlKAMPHlll.t. 



24. Hemiramphus brasiliensis (Linnaeus). 



Onlj two specimens were seen in this region. They were about 14 inches long and were caught 

 west of Bird Key with hook and line. In the vicinity of the light-house on Rebecca shoals this spe- 

 cies is to be seen by the hundreds, and can lie easily caught with a little piece of dough for bait. < >ver 



50 per cent of the fish have a parasitic crustacean attached to the tongue, which the local fishermen 

 claim causes death in time by completely filling the mouth cavity. (T.) 



25. Hyporhamphus unifasciatus (Ranzani). 

 Reported by Dr. Uenshall in 1889. 



Family E.\0C(ETID.£. 



26. Parexocoetus orbignianus (Cuvier & Valenciennes). 



On February 7, 1902, a very large mass of sargassum weed drifted into the neighborhood of Tortu- 

 gaa from the edges of theGulf Stream, the result of a strong southerly gale which had been blowing for 

 (lie previous two days. This weed brought with it nearly a dozen species of fishes not hitherto taken, 

 among them 9 specimens of Parexocaius orbignianus ranging from 0.47 to 1.:;:; inches. When of this 

 size the tisli is unable to llv, hut is capable of leaping a few inches out of the water. It almost invari- 

 . 1 1 . 1 \ jumps out of a net spread beneath it. It may be readily caught with the hand from above, 

 however. (T.) 



It is doubtful whether this is the ExocoUus mesogaster of Bloch; we may therefore take the name 

 n 'Xt in date. 



27. Cypselurus furcatus i l.< Sueur i. 



A number of very young individuals, each with two black barbels at the chin. 



Family AULOSTOMIDiE. 



28. Aulostomus chinensis (Linnaeus). 



Recorded by Potter and Moore from Fort Jefferson; not seen by Dr. Thompson. 



