•FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 41 I 



several were thus found floating in a vertical position with the head bent at a right 

 angle to the body so as to remain horizontal with the surface. Three of them were 

 males and in one the abdominal pouch was filled with eggs; in another the young 

 were just ready to be set at liberty, while in the third the pouch was almost empty, 

 only very few of the young remaining in it. 



It is moderately common in summer in eel grass in Gravesend Bay. It is very 

 fond of shrimp with eggs and small Gavnnariis. The fish was abundant during the 

 summer of 1898 and was collected in Peconic, Mecox, Shinnecock and Great South 

 Bays. Both adults and young were obtained. 



The Pipe Fish, often called Billed Eel by fishermen, was usually scarce in Great 

 South Bay during the summer of 1901, only a few specimens having been taken in 

 the seines. It is generally abundant in all parts of the bay. 



Family HIPPOCAMPIDiE. Sea Horses. 



93. Sea Horse ; Horsefish {Hippocampus hudsonius DeKay). 



The Sea Horse was described by Mitchill under the name of Sea Horse Pipe Fish. 

 DeKay calls it the Hudson River Sea Horse. This fish has sometimes been found in 

 large numbers in the nets at Gravesend Bay, but since 1895 it has not been abundant. 

 It feeds upon Unciola and shrimp eggs. It was very scarce in the bays of Long 

 Island during the summer of 1898; a single small example was taken in the ocean at 

 Southampton, and a larger one was seined on the eastern side of Fire Island. This 

 fish is interesting on account of its singular, prehensile tail, and the fact that the 

 male carries the eggs and protects the young in a pouch behind the vent. In this 

 egg-sac the young are protected until large enough to live independently, going out 

 to search for food and returning to shelter at their pleasure. Examples have been 

 found with their pouches full of embryos in August, and on September 5 the pouch 

 has been found empty, the anal fin restored, and the cirri altogether Avanting. It 

 seems probable that the cirri are more developed in the breeding season than at any 

 other time ; at this period the margin of the dorsal fin of the female is yellow, while 

 that of the male is orange. 



