ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1297 



BEAVER DAM ON THE BUSHKILL 

 Sullivan County. New York 



THE AQUARIUM PORPOISE. 



THE bottle-nose porpoise {Tursiops trtiit- 

 catits) which lived in the large central 

 pool of the Aquarium for more than twen- 

 tv-one months, died on August 21. 



The cause of its death was a mixed infection, 

 which in a few days attacked every part of its 

 skin, covering the smooth, glistening surface with 

 unsightly pustules. This infection was clearly 

 the result of keeping the 

 animal i n water pumped 

 from New York Harbor, the 

 only supph' available for 

 the large floor pools, under 

 present conditions. The wa- 

 ter of the harbor is always 

 of low salinity and is 

 charged with sewage, being 

 especially foul in mid-sum- 

 mer. 



The porpoise had grown 

 perceptibly since its arrival 

 on November 15, 1913. Its 

 weight at death was 29.'? 

 pounds and its length, eight 

 feet. Four other porpoises 

 received at the same time 

 lived seven months in the 

 Aquarium, when they died 

 of pneumonia in rapid suc- 

 cession. 



Like the one referred to 

 above, their skins at death 



were also filth infected, al- 

 though not to the same ex- 

 tent. Our experience has 

 shown that the porpoise 

 readily endures captivity 

 and might live much longer 

 if pure sea water were avail- 

 able. Other porpoises will 

 be obtained in November, 

 and equipment has at last 

 been installed for filtering 

 tlie liarbor water. It will not 

 be possible to clear this 

 water of bacteria, but it has 

 been made much cleaner, 

 and is now quite clear. 



Our school of porpoises 

 contained both sexes and 

 they were often observed 

 mating. The loss of the fe- 

 males was especially disap- 

 pointing as the prospects 

 for breeding in captivity 

 were promising. All of these 

 porpoises were constantly active. C. H. T. 



A Deep Jf'ater Lobster. — While fishing on 

 the Tilefish Grounds, 100 miles southeast of 

 New York, on October 25th, the schooner 

 Stranger brought up a very large lobster from 

 a depth of 100 fathoms, measuring thirty-nine 

 inches from tip of tail to end of large claw, and 

 weighing sixteen pounds. The specimen is now 

 on exhibition at the Aquarium. 



BEAVER DAM ON THE BUSHKILL 

 Sullivan County. New York 



