24 THETARPON 



and entirely different and larger than the fish that 

 finally develop. If the tarpon develops into a true 

 fish from this stage possibly the larva has been over- 

 looked by observers. 



Many fish deposit their eggs in the open sea and the 

 tarpon may do the same, which accounts for the fact 

 that the larval condition has not been noticed. The sub- 

 ject is worthy of patient investigation in the field and 

 it is to be hoped that all sportsmen and guides will 

 report to the author any facts which may come to their 

 attention throwing light upon this obscure subject. 



Dr. Alexander Meek, M. S., has lately (1916) pub- 

 lished a book entitled "The Migrations of Fish" in 

 which he considers the spawning habits of the 

 Elopidae. Attention is invited to his statements bear- 

 ing in mind that the term "Anadromous" is applied 

 to a fish which migrates from the sea into fresh water 

 like a salmon." " Contranatent " signifies smmming 

 against and "denatent" swimming with the current. 

 ' ' The family Elopidae includes Flops lacerta of 

 the West Coast of Africa where it enters rivers 

 and E. saurus, which is generally distributed in 

 tropical waters. The latter also enters rivers as 

 in East Africa, where it is called Cape Salmon. 

 But it is evident that spawning takes place at sea, 

 since a leptocephalus stage is known. The tarpon 

 {Megalops atlanticus of the Atlantic tropical and 

 southern region and M. cyprinoides of the Indian 

 Ocean and the seas of the East Indies) is well 

 known in the open seas and periodically visits the 

 coasts, even ascending the rivers in pursuit of 



