ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1679 



such small mollusks and 

 crustaceans as inhabit the 

 surface of the sea. It is 

 known to feed to some ex- 

 tent on jelly fishes, while 

 eels in the larval stage have 

 been found in its stomach. 

 The stomach of our speci- 

 men had no longitudinal 

 folds, to indicate bulky 

 foods causing distension. 



Little has been ascertained 

 regarding its breeding hab- 

 its. The young are quite 

 unlike the adult in appear- 

 ance and were formerly 

 known under other names. 

 Some of the stages of 

 growth are shown in accom- 

 panying photographs. The 

 early larval stage is still un- 

 known. The eggs have been 

 reported as minute. 



Statements regarding its 



edible qualities are at vari- 



. , Length T feet 



ance, some pronouncing the M 



flesh palatable, while others 

 declare it worthless. The 



Aquarium specimen, like most of the ocean sun- 

 fishes described, was covered with conspicuous 

 round and flattened fleshy parasites about the 

 size of a silver quarter {Tristomum molae) and 

 a few crustacean parasites (Cecrops latrielli). 



OCEAN SUN FISH 

 ichcs. Weight, estimated, 1000 pounds. Captured by 

 nbrose Monell. Jr., oft' Palm Beach, Florida, 1H16. 



In some of the published accounts of the fish 

 it is said to be phosphorescent at times. 



The ocean sunfish is apparently lacking in 

 powers of defense. Its mouth is small and its 

 skin is not sufficiently thick and hard to protect 

 it from the attacks of sharks. Specimens lacer- 

 ated by sharks have often been found. Its speed 

 cannot be sufficient to enable it to elude an act- 

 ive enemy such as the killer whale or the shark. 

 How such a conspicuous and defenseless crea- 

 ture drifts about the wide oceans year after 

 year, attaining great size and weight, remains 

 an unanswered question. 



Captured by the No 



OCEAN SUNFISH 



i Fisheries steamer. Michael 

 north of the Azores. Length 6 feet. 



SEA LIONS AND THE FISHERY 

 INDUSTRIES* 



By C. H. Townsend. 



AN important report on The Sea Lion Ques- 

 tion in British Columbia has recently been 

 made by a commission appointed by the 

 Biological Board of Canada. The commission 

 was charged with an inquiry respecting the ef- 

 fect of the bounty offered by the Dominion Gov- 

 ernment, with a view to reducing the numbers 

 of sea lions in British Columbia, where there are 

 important salmon-canning and other fishery in- 

 dustries. 



*An article on the subject was published in The Bulletin for November, 191j 



