52,0 REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Specimens caught at Wood's Hole, in July, contained rock-crabs, 

 Cancer irroratus; Pinnixa cylindrica ; Crangon vulgaris; squids, Loligo 

 Pealii; Angulustener ; Nucula proxima ; and many "sand-dollars," Eclii- 

 naraclmius par ma. 



Winter Flounder; (Pseudopleuronect.es 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, Palcvmonetes 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 Eiver, 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 menliaden.) 



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 ; (Pulamia obscura.) 



Several specimens caught at Wood's Hole, in July and August, con- 

 tained lobsters, Homarus Americanus ; rock-crabs, Cancer irroratus. 



