ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



219 



YOUNt; STRIPED BASS. 



from the steamer "Angler," which carries fishing 

 parties from the Battery to the Fishing Banks. 



Nearly all the species collected have their times 

 of appearance and disappearance, so that the ex- 

 hibits are varied, according to season, to an extent 

 not generally understood by the public. 



During the months of January, February, and 

 March collecting is practicaUy abandoned on ac- 

 count of the presence of ice along the shores. .\t 

 this season the collector directs his efforts to the 

 gathering of salt-water minnows, or killihshes, 

 from sloughs, where, on account of the higher 

 temperature of the water, due to the presence of 

 springs, these fishes congregate in winter. Such 

 localities are usually free from ice, and the fishes 

 are often found in abundance living in water com- 

 paratively fresh. In winter killitishes constitute 

 practically all the live food used in the .\quarium, 

 as shrimps are then difficult to get. 



In April and May a number of cold-water fishes, 

 such as the muttonfish, blackfish, sturgeon, angler, 

 herring, tomcod, eel, sculpin, sea-raven, lumpfish, 

 toadfish, and sea-robin, are to be had in abundance 

 and are nearly always on exhibition during the 

 spring months. In June, July, and August other 

 forms are available, among which may be mentioned 

 porgie, weakfish, spot, sea-bass, blucfisii, drumfish. 

 dogfish and other small sharks. 



In late suninier and early fall, wlicn the tempera- 



ture of the water is high, 

 a number of semi-tropical 

 fishes appear ; such as cre- 

 valle, moonfish, two or three 

 species of filefish, raljbit- 

 fisli, putTer, boxfish, pipefish, 

 tlircadfish, shark-sucker, and 

 piiotfish. Shark-suckers and 

 pilotfish appear only when 

 accompanying sharks that 

 may wander in past Sandy 

 Hook. In autumn many of 

 the cold-water species, in- 

 cluding ditTerent species of 

 skates, which have sought 

 deeper water during the sum- 

 mer, reappear along the shore 

 and again become available. 

 Striped-bass, various species 

 of flounders, salt-water min- 

 nows, and a numlier of other 

 species, can be obtained at any season, when fishing 

 is practicable. Many of the food fishes remain in 

 New York Bay for long periods. The very interest- 

 ing little sea-horse can usually be had from spring 

 until fall, and is known to occur here in winter. 



The majority of fishes brought to the Aquarium 

 are procured from the numerous pound-nets in 

 the region. The pound-nets located in Gravesend 

 Bay, when in operation, are visited almost daily by 

 the Aquarium collector. As the commercial fisher- 

 men are interested only in those species which are 

 salable, a good many kinds useless to them, but 

 interesting as specimens, are turned over to the 

 Aquarium's representative, who naturally helps 

 himself liberally. Certain fishermen in the vicinity 

 of Sandy Hook are supplied with lists and sketches 

 of desirable species, and notify the Aquarium 

 when such appear in the pound-nets. These speci- 

 mens are placed temporarily in floating fish-cars 

 until they can be transported. The fishermen, 

 of course, are compensated for services rendered 

 to the Aquarium. Our own collector, who resides 

 at Gravesend Bay, has a boat, nets, floating fish- 

 car, and transportation tanks, and is otherwise 

 equipped for carr\'ing on his work. During trans- 

 portation, if by wagon or train, the fish tanks are 

 aerated by lifting the water frequently with a dipper. 

 If they are transported by boat, the water is fre- 

 quently changed. — From the notes oj W. I. DeXyse. 



