The C'axadian Field-Xaturalist. 



[Vol. XXXV. 



tiont'd above. A stimulation of the skin 

 of the side by toiu-h caused the animal to 

 move forward when applied near the tail, 

 and to move backward when applied 

 farther forward. 



Rcspiratiou. — Occasionally the fish re- 

 treated to a position with about one quar- 

 ter of tlie anterior end protrudinjx, and 

 -with the ventral parts of the pectoral fins 

 bent back and applied to the bottom. The 

 head and pectoral fins remained stationary, 

 and the remainder of the body performed 

 undulatory motions, two complete waves 

 beinjr observed on the fish at any one mo- 

 ment. The dorsal fin preceded the body 

 slightly in the lateral movement. That a 

 current was made to flow through the pipe 

 was demonstrated by dropping some car- 

 mine, suspended in water, near the head 

 of tlie fish. The carmine particles were 

 drawn into the pipe. Other particles were 

 carried alongside the pipe and past the 

 other end. No carmine particles were ob- 

 served to issue from that end, probably 

 because of dispersion of tjie particles into 

 a larger volume of water, and because the 

 movement soon ceased. The fish seemed 

 to be irritated to some extent by the part- 

 icles. The movement lasted for from one 

 to two minutes. On one occasion the move- 

 ment Avas observed being carried out by 

 the fish when it was not in the tube, but 

 in a corner of the tank with its head 

 against the end wall. 



The respirations nund)ered from 12 to 

 20 |)er minute. When the animal was ap- 

 l)roaclied it ceased breatiiing for from one 

 to tw(» minutes. At the conclusion of this 

 period of rest, it would either give two or 

 three deep inspiratory gasps, opening its 

 mouti) widely, or would merely resume 

 breathing at a somewliat more rapid rate 

 than usual. Occasionally on resumption of 

 breathing the lateral undulatory move- 

 ments would be conunenccd, tlie anterior 

 j)art of the body remaining stationary. 

 There can be little doubt that these move- 

 ments are initiated by dyspnoeic condi- 

 tions, and that they are for the purpose 

 of renewing the water iii the burrows in 

 which the fish lives. 



Feeding. — The stomachs of specimens 

 that were opened shortly after being 

 caught contained beacli fleas, or s -uds, 

 (Gammarus Jortishn, sand shrimp, {(' (I'jo 



septemspinosus) , and fragments of 

 flounder, {Pseudopleuronectes america- 

 nus). The specimen kept in the tank took 

 food freely. It usually left its tube in the 

 late afternoon, and could be heard at dusk 

 thrashing- around in the water. Scuds 

 placed in the tank disappeared, as did also 

 liermit crabs {Pagurus acadianus). It 

 also took, when offered, small herring or 

 sardines, limpets, periwinkles, whelks, 

 clams, and mussels. These it would take 

 from the hand, even reaching out of the 

 Avater to seize them, and approaching from 

 a distance of as much as a foot. Sight seem- 

 ed to be as important as smell in determin- 

 ing its feeding, as it Avould show excitement 

 by moving its tail and lifting its head, and 

 finally move forAvard and snap Avitli its 

 jaws Avhen the finger Avas held just above 

 the surface of the Avater in front of it. Not 

 only Avas the food seized, but also there 

 Avas a strong indraught of Avater into the 

 mouth that carried the food along. When 

 the feeding Avas done at the surface of the 

 Avater, air also Avas draAvn in, producing 

 the sound so characteristic of ^he last 

 stages in pumping the bilge Avater out of a 

 boat, Avhen the Avater is mixed Avitli air. 

 The dorsal position of the mouth is faA'our- 

 able to the taking of food from above, 

 Avhich is perhaps the normal method Avith 

 this fish. At times, hoAvever, it was seen 

 to turn on its side in order to seize food 

 lying, on the bottom of the tank. Food 

 taken into the mouth Avas either rejected 

 or swalloAved by a series of vigorous perist- 

 altic movements of the mouth and throat. 

 To SAvalloAv a verA' large piece might re- 

 quire considerable time, and might even 

 result in the fish coming out of its tube 

 for more freedom, and turning all the Avay 

 over once or tAvice in its SAvalloAving efforts. 



Zoarces anguillaris (Peck). 



A muttonfish 45 cm. in length Avas kept 

 in one of tlie flat tanks of the laboratory 

 dui-iug the latter half of the season and 

 proved to be (juite hardy. It fed regularly 

 on the fish and shell-fish given it, ap- 

 proaching from a distance of more than a 

 foot to take food from the hand. The 

 enormous thick lips Avere used more than 

 the teeth for taking hold of the morsels 

 and a strong inspiration of Avater carried 

 the food in. Swallowing did not immed- 

 iately follow the taking of food, but Avas 



