ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



493 



FIDDLER CRABS ON A FLORIDA BEACH. 

 Photograph by Pierre Lorillard, Jr. 



NOTES. 



Horseshoe Crab. — Last summer the Aquarium 

 received a large specimen of the Horseshoe 

 Crab. (Limulus), on the back of which were 

 growing a dozen or more good-sized oysters. 

 The specimen is apparently a very old one, with 

 the shell greatly deformed. It had probably 

 lost the power of casting the shell which all 

 crustaceans have, and it may be that very old 

 ones lose the power of shedding altogether, since 

 they are sometimes found with barnacles and 

 ascidians as well as oysters attached to their 

 shells. 



Growth of the Sea Horse. — In September the 

 Aquarium received from Atlantic City five speci- 

 mens of the common sea horse each about two 

 inches in length. Living in the pure sea water 

 now in use, they have grown faster than any 



specimens of this species hitherto kept in the 

 building. The temperature of the water has 

 been kept, throughout the winter, at about 72° 

 Fahr., the same as that used for tropical fishes, 

 and all the sea horses now exceed five inches in 

 length. The new sea water system has for nine 

 months given the greatest satisfaction and a 

 larger proportion of marine animals have been 

 carried over the winter than ever before. Under 

 exactly similar conditions the young loggerhead 

 turtles sent by Dr. A. G. Mayer from the Ma- 

 rine Laboratory in Florida in July have more 

 than trebled their size. 



Tropical Fishes. — Several species of tropical 

 fishes have for the first time been carried 

 through the winter in good condition and the use 

 of absolutely pure sea water kept at the proper 

 temperature is the secret of success. There has 

 not only been a great saving of specimens but a 

 saving in the cost of operation, as the artificial 

 heating of the reservoir water has cost almost 

 nothing in comparison with the former cost of 

 heating the icy water pumped from the Harbor. 

 The saving in coal has already amounted to 

 several hundred dollars. 



The Sunapee or Golden Trout. — In January 

 the Aquarium received from the Sportsman's 

 Show in Boston four specimens of the rare 

 sunapee or golden trout, (Salvelinus aureolus). 

 which are still in good condition. These re- 

 markably beautiful fishes are of great interest 

 to anglers. The entire collection of chars. 



FIDDLER CRABS IN SHALLOW WATER. 



