LIFE HISTORIES OF TOADFISHES (BATRACHOIDIDS), 
COMPARED WITH THOSE OF WEEVERS 
(TRACHINIDS) AND STARGAZERS 
(URANOSCOPIDS) 
By THEODORE GILL 
The toadfishes are prominent objects along the American seaboard 
and inquiries are frequent as to their habits and value. The in- 
quirer is generally told that little is known about them but there is 
really a considerable literature respecting one species at least, 
although so scattered that it is known to extremely few and not 
even to many good ichthyologists. Data have consequently been 
brought together in the present communication from many sources, 
There are also a couple of other families whose habits are little 
known, but which, for different reasons, are of much interest. One 
is that of the weevers or Trachinids, famed for the venomous char- 
acter of liquid secreted in pouches connected with opercular and 
dorsal spines and therefore comparable with some of the Batrachoi- 
dids (Thalassophryne). The other is that of the stargazers or 
Uranoscopids, whose species bear considerable superficial resem- 
blance to the toadfishes of the genus Thalassophryne as well as to 
the weevers. There is doubtless a relationship between the three 
families and, although distant, closer than has been generally ad- 
mitted. For this reason the habits of representatives of the two 
families are given for comparison with those of the toadfishes. 
The behavior of a number of individuals of the common toadfish 
of the eastern American coast has been a favorite subject of observa- 
tion for several years. The observations were made in the aquariums 
of the Bureau of Fisheries but in past years opportunities were 
afforded for earlier ones along the coasts of New York and New 
Jersey. To such observations have been added the records of those 
of others. 
I. THe TOADFISHES OR BATRACHOIDIDS 
The Batrachoidids, or toadfishes, are a small family of remarkable 
fishes not very much like any others, and well defined. They have 
an oblong form, a broad flattish head, restricted lateral gill-openings, 
388 
— —— 
