ZOOLOGICAL socip:t^ bulletin 



■63 



of iridescence. Large specimens of this snake 

 have been on exhibition in the Zoological Park 

 for the past four years. 



The structural differences between the pythons 

 and the boas consist chiefly in the bones of the 

 skull and the arrangement of the plates on the 

 head. The former characters can be noted only 

 by the examination of an osteological preparation, 

 and even then unless the observer is equijiped with 

 technical knowledge they are very obscure. The 



arrangement of the head shields offers .so many 

 variations and intergradations that the character 

 is but a feeble one on which to form the two Sub- 

 families. Generally speaking, it must be stated 

 that to the popular eye there is little structural 

 difTerence between a python and a boa. The Sub- 

 family containing the latter (the Boinae) includes 

 the larger number of species of the Family of 

 great constrictors. 



LONGEVITY OF FISHES AT THE AQUARIUM. 



The oldest inhabitants of the New York Aquarium are 

 the striped bass, which have been here for ten years, having 

 been placed in one of the floor pools before the building 

 was opened to the public . 



In May, 1894, 55 s])ccimcns, weighing from a quarter 

 of a pound to four pounds, were secured, 27 of which have 

 sur\-ived. Most of those that were lost, died during the 

 first year, and during the last four years not one has died. 

 Their food has been chiefly live minnows, supplemented 

 by live shrimp, small crabs, marine worms, and occa- 

 ■sionally, when other food was scarce, herring cut in strips 

 and a few clams were used. Their growth during these ten 

 years has probably liecn all that could be e.xpected from 

 fishes confined in a limited space and deprived of m\ii h 

 of their natural food. The largest specimen now weighs 

 about 30 pounds. Their actual weights are not known, 

 but the lengths of some of them are, and the weight esti- 

 mated accordingly. One indivi<lual received in iS()6, when 

 it weighed a quarter of a pound, and had a length of seven 

 inches, died seven years later, by which time it had attained 

 a length of .6 inches and a weight of 9 pounds. 



They are sea fishes which enter fresh waters to spawn, 

 and are very active and gamey. It is quite remarkable 

 that such large fishes have done so well. 



In our markets this species averages 1 2 pounds in weight, 

 but often attains a large size, specimens of 60 pounds being 

 common, while the weights of extra large ones weighing 

 from 90 to 112 pounds have been recorded. 



Other species in the Aquarium which may be considered 

 old residents arc the bony gar, mud-fish, common eel, 

 gray snapper, spot snapper, red grouper and Nassau 

 grouper. Several individuals of each have pulled through 

 seven years' serrice. They are supposed to require pure 

 sea-water, but have endured New York Bay water just as 

 it has been pumped from the Bay, in varying conditions of 

 saltness, freshness, muddiness and wharf-front filth. 

 They have not complained, but for days together the poor 

 character of the water supply has put the whole collection 

 off its feed. 



Four of the species named above are from the Ber- 

 muda Islands, where the density of the sea-water is not 

 lessened by the presence of rivers. Their length of life at 

 the New York Aquarium, where the water often becomes 

 three-quarters fresh, is quite remarkable. 



Other well-seasoned old-timers which have been here 

 from four to five years arc the moonfish, squirrel-fish, Mis- 

 sissippi catfish, weakfish, green moray, amber fish, rock- 

 fish, bergall, striped grunt, blackfish, angel fish, surgeon 

 fish, trigger fish, cow-nosed ray, common sturgeon, short- 

 nosed sturgeon, sheepshead, minnow, stickleback, drum, 

 channel bass, yellow mackerel, toad-fish, tench, goldfish, 

 muskallunge and pike. 



All other species have so far led .\quarium lives within 

 the three-year limit. 



The growth of some of the above-named fishes has been 

 steady. The Bermuda gray snappers, received here 6 

 inihes long, have more than doubled their .size in seven 

 years; while the spot snappers have fully trebled their size 

 in the same time. Although the green morays have fed 

 intermittently, refu.sing food for months at a time, they 

 have grown perceptibly. Measuring a green moray nearly 

 7 feet long and with jaws opening 6 inches wide is dubious 

 business, which as yet no one has had the courage to un- 

 dertake. The growth of muskallunge and pike has been 

 quite marked, both species having more than doubled 

 their weight. The weakfish have trebled their size in four 

 years. The blackfish {Tauloga onilis) have grown slowly, 

 specimens one inch long when received having grown only 

 7 or 8 inches in seven years. Other blackfish, however, 

 which were 8 inches long when brought here, doubled their 

 size in one year. 



.\ Mississippi catfish, now weighing about 60 pounds, 

 has increased its weight perhaps one-third in four years 

 in spite of the fact that it lies dormant when the water gets 

 cold, and does not feed at all from .September to .^pril. 



Many of the mo.st attractive fishes in the collection have 

 not lived long enough to permit of observations being 

 made on their growth. 



The collection of tropical fishes from Berniuda has been 

 increased every summer. These beautifully colored 

 strangers, which are viewed with great interest during the 

 summer and autumn months, begin to die off with the 

 approach of winter weather. 



A large sturgeon 8 feet long lived in the .Aquarium t, 

 years, which was i)robably a good record for a mud- 

 loving animal transferred to a clean, hard-bottomed 

 tank. It would not be desirable to put mud in an exhibi- 

 tion tank. 



