226 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [520] 
Specimens caught at Wood’s Hole, in July, contained rock-crabs, 
Cancer irroratus ; Pinnixa cylindrica; Crangon vulgaris ; squids, Loligo 
Pealii; Angulus tener ; Nucula proxima; and many “sand-dollars,” Echi- 
narachnius parma. 
WINTER FLOUNDER ; (Pseudopleuronectes Americanus.) 
A specimen caught at Wood’s Hole, in August, contained large num- 
bers of Bulla solitaria. 
SPOTTED FLOUNDER; (Lophopsetta maculata.) 
Numerous specimens caught in seines at Great Egg Harbor, April, 
1871, contained large quantities of shrimp, especially Mysis Americana 
and Crangon vulgaris; the prawn, Palemonetes vulgaris ; numerous Am- 
phipods, Gammarus mucronatus ; one contained a Gebia affinis. 
Minnow ; (fundulus pisculentus.) 
Specimens caught in July, at Wood’s Hole, contained large numbers 
of Melampus bidentatus, unmixed with other food. 
SEA-HERRING; (Clupea elongata.) 
Specimens taken in Vineyard Sound, May 20, contained several 
shrimp, Crangon vulgaris, about 1.5 inches long; Mysis Americana, and 
large numbers of an Amphipod, Gammarus natator ; also small fishes. 
SHAD; (Alosa tyrannus.) 
Several specimens taken in the seines, at Great Egg Harbor, April, 
1871, contained finely-divided fragments of numerous Crustacea, among 
which were shrimp, Mysis Americana. 
Several from the mouth of the Connecticut River, May, 1872, contained 
fragments of small Crustacea, (Mysis, &c.) 
Hickory SHAD ; (Pomolobus mediocris.) 
Several specimens taken in the seines at Great Egg Harbor, April, 
1872, contained large quantities of fragmentary Crustacea; one con- 
tained recognizable fragments of shrimp, Crangon vulgaris. 
MENHADEN ; (Brevoortia menhaden.) 
A large number of specimens freshly caught in seines at Great Egg 
Harbor, April, 1871, were examined, and all were found to have their 
stomachs filled with large quantities of dark mud. They undoubtedly 
swallow this mud for the sake of the microscopic animal and vegetable 
organisms that it contains. Their complicated and capacious digestive 
apparatus seems well adapted for this crude and bulky food. 
FILe-FIsH; (Ceratacanthus aurantiacus.) 
A specimen taken at Wood’s Hole, in August, contained a quantity of 
the finely-divided stems and branches of a Hydroid, Pennaria tiarella. 
Dusky SHARK; (Hulamia obscura.) 
Several specimens caught at Wood’s Hole, in July and August, con- 
tained lobsters, Homarus Americanus ; rock-crabs, Cancer irroratus. 
