ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1333 



TANK OF MUDFISH {AMIA CALVA) NEW YORK AQUARIUM 



rivers, like Tetrodon psittacus of Brazil, Tet- 

 rodon pahaM of the Nile and rivers of West 

 Africa, and Tetrodon fluviatilus of the rivers 

 of India. 



THE MUDFISH (AMIA CALVA) IN THE 

 MARKETS. 



THIS fish which is perpetually interesting 

 to naturalists but always despised by fish- 

 ermen, has at last some prospect of ac- 

 quiring economic standing. It appears that 

 it is being shipped from the west to Philadel- 

 phia markets in important quantities. A part 

 of the supply is received alive, being shipped 

 in cars with live carp. 



The shipment of live carp is already an es- 

 tablished industry, and cars especially con- 

 structed for the purpose are carrying live fishes 

 chieflji- from the Illinois River and from Lake 

 Erie to the principal markets in Philadelphia 

 and New York. 



Mudfish are also shipped in ice like other 

 fish, the quantity sold in Philadelphia varying 

 from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds a week, and worth 

 three or four cents a pound. 



The live mudfish amounting to about 500 

 pounds a week are purchased almost entirelj' 

 by Hebrews, and are worth from twelve to fif- 

 teen cents a pound. 



If a permanent market can be found for it, 

 fishermen can easily supply large quantities, as 

 it is abundant in the Great Lakes region and 

 the Mississippi Valley. 



The mudfish, sometimes called bowfin and 

 dogfish, is voracious and very destructive to 

 other fishes. Anything contributing to lessen 

 its numbers in those regions would also serve 

 to increase the numbers of other and better 

 native fishes. 



The mudfish has been seen in eastern mar- 

 kets before, as fishermen of the Illinois River 

 have sent it to market with other fishes. It 

 sometimes weighs as much as twelve pounds 

 and is hardy and long-lived. The Aquarium 

 has specimens of the mudfish which have lived 

 in the building fourteen years. — C. H. T. 



