7O FISH-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
of the rivers are covered with aquatic grass, every leaf and stem 
of which supports a growth of mosslike conferve. The sheep- 
head live upon this conferve almost exclusively. I sent the 
contents of the stomach of one of these fish to Prof. Leidy, who 
said that in addition to the confervz, he found multitudes of 
diatoms. In the case of the sheephead, the changed condition in 
their food is voluntary as, in the gulf of Mexico, into which they 
could go at any hour, abundance of molluscs and crustaceans 
may be seen in every handful of sea-weed taken from the bot- 
tom. 
It is a surprising fact that many species of fish live in the fresh 
water in Florida, which inhabit salt water exclusively in the 
North. The sheephead, which are considered deep-water fish in 
the North, habitually feed with their dorsal fins out of the wat- 
er, while in the fresh water rivers in Florida. 
Mr. WiLLcox added: I lately witnessed the manner in which 
the saw-fish use their saws, while in Clearwater harbor. Sever- 
al young saw-fish, not more than two and a half feet long, were 
observed in the water where it was only a few inches deep. 
When they saw me they ceased swimming, and remained on the 
bottom, where, by a gentle motion of their fins, they were nearly 
obscured by the sand which settled upon them. Imagining them- 
selves secure, while thus covered, they permitted me to approach 
near enough to spear one. The wounded fish immediately ele- 
vated its head out of the water, thrusting the saw back, and 
moved it about, seeking foran enemy. Having felt the handle 
of wood, the saw-fish at once pulled its saw against it, using 
much force, and repeating the operation rapidly, always pulling, 
never pushing. It thus cut gashes in the handle. Two other 
saw-fishes performed the same operation when speared. None 
of them permitted an approach until it had partly concealed it- 
self in the sand. 
At the close of the morning session the members inspected 
some fine specimens of European trout, from the ponds of the 
New York Fish Commission at Cold Spring harbor, and then 
went in a body to view the national carp ponds, which have been 
greatly extended during the past year. 
