ZOOLOGICAL 
SOCIETY 
BULLETIN 119 
GIANT GARFISHES (LEPISOSTEUS TRISTOECHUS) 
Presented to the Aquarium by Mr. Henry D. Whiton 
Elwin R 
Photographed by 
GIANT 
GARFISH FROM 
Sanborn 
LOUISIANA 
By C. H. Townsenp 
HE Aquarium has seven giant or “alligator” 
gars (Lepisosteus tristoechus ), the gift of 
Mr. Henry D. Whiton of New York. So 
far as known, these are the first specimens of 
this species to be exhibited in an aquarium. 
They were captured in Lake Calecasieu, in south- 
western Louisiana and arrived at the Aquarium 
on May 28. 
The gars are about half grown, averaging four 
feet in length and thirty pounds in weight. The 
American Museum of Natural History has a 
mounted specimen of the giant gar eight feet 
long, but we know that the species grows much 
larger. Mr. Whiton has furnished a record of a 
twelye-foot specimen killed in the Lake Calea- 
sieu region by M’sieu Tata Ibert. It is said 
that it grows still larger, but our opinion on this 
point is reserved until the claim can be demon- 
strated. 
This is the second lot of gars secured for the 
Aquarium by Mr. Whiton, the first shipment 
having been lost in New York during zero 
weather before the fishes could be removed from 
the steamer. 
The transportation of these large fresh-water 
fishes by steamship presented a problem, as sea 
water could not be used for renewing the water 
supply of the large tanks in which they were 
carried. The problem was solved by the use 
of a steam-driven air compressor for the con- 
stant aeration of the tanks, both collections of 
gars being brought to New York without change 
of fresh water except for a limited quantity 
spared from the ship’s supply. 
The fishes arrived more or less bruised and 
chafed, but they have recovered their normal 
appearance, and after five months in the 
Aquarium appear to have accepted the condi- 
tions of captivity and settled down to the simple 
life. 
The sheltered life of the Aquarium tanks in- 
volves a complete change in habits for this big, 
