

FUNDULUS GULARIS 



WALTER LANNOY BRIND, F. Z. 5. 



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Fundulus gularis (blue variety) 



The interesting and peculiar Fundu- 

 lus gularis is a fish little known to most 

 aquarists, and particularly among- those 

 of the United States, who have accom- 

 plished little in the direct importation of 

 exotic fishes from their native countries. 

 In Germany, however, "der blaue fun- 

 dulus" is by no means an exceptional 

 denizen of the home aquarium of the 

 advanced aquarist. This Fundulus is 

 distinctly a fish that appeals to the ex- 

 pert rather than the beginner. This is 

 doubtless due to the peculiarities of the 

 species, but few aquarists have met with 

 success in its care and propagation. 

 There are two well-pronounced varieties 

 of the species, one blue, the other yel- 

 low ; the last named the rarest. It is 

 not the purpose of this article to do 



more than discuss the blue form, as 

 there is enough to be said about each 

 to warrant separate treatment. The 

 blue gularis is a native of West Africa, 

 being found at the mouth of the Niger 

 river. It is quite probable that it has 

 a wider distribution, as it is a very pro- 

 nounced type, too much so to have be- 

 come restricted to one small locality. 



The facts in regard to its first appear- 

 ance as an aquarium fish are that in 

 1905 a sailor, one Groch, brought a 

 single specimen to W. Schrott, a Ham- 

 burg fish fancier, by whom it was given 

 to Paul Arnold for identification. Later 

 Carl Siggelkow secured several speci- 

 mens, and since then almost every ship- 

 ment from West Africa to Germany has 

 included this fish. 



