No. 401.] MARINE BIOLOGY AT BEAUFORT. 355 
monest sharks are the « sharp-nosed," Carcharinus terre-nove, 
* shovel-headed," Sphyrna tiburo. Young ‘ hammerheads,” 
Sphyrna zyge@na, are very abundant in the early summer in 
some years. The sawfish, Pristis pectinatus, is frequently 
taken. The sting ray, 7xygoz sayi, and butterfly skate, Pzero- 
platea maclura, are abundant. Several eagle rays are occasion- 
ally taken (cow-nosed ray, A/znoptera quadriloba, last summer), 
and the sea devil, Manta birostris, has been caught at Cape 
Lookout. Several cyprinodons (Fundulus, Cyprinodon, Gam- 
busia) are abundant alongshore and in “salt ponds " — F. hetero- 
clitus, with ripe eggs, July. Blennies are abundant about the 
wharf piles, Hypleurochilus multifilis depositing its eggs on 
sponges, etc., August. The toadfish, Batrachus tau, and its 
eggs (summer) are of course abundant. Selene vomerand some 
other ** moonfishes," two halfbeaks (Hemirhamphus braziliensis, 
H. unifasciatus), the shark pilot, Echeneis naucrates, pipefish, 
Siphostoma floride, and Hippocampus hudsonius, Nomeus grono- 
viz (in bell cavity of the rhizostomous medusa, Stomolophus), 
several swellfishes (Logocephalus levigatus, Chilomycterus geo- 
metricus, Tetrodon turgidus) may be referred to. The com- 
monest summer food fishes are the bluefish, Spanish mackerel, 
sheepshead, jumping mullet, sea mullet, hogfish (Orthopristis 
chrysopterus), pinfish (Diplodus rhomboides), croaker, spot, por- 
gee, weakfishes (local ** trouts," Cynoscion regale, C. maculatum), 
* blackfish ” (Serranus atrarius), a number of flounders (floun- 
der spearing with a torch of “ fat” pine is a common occupa- 
tion on summer nights). The menhaden (local **fatback ") 
fishery is an important industry. Some attention was paid 
during the past season to the breeding condition of the edible 
species, and June would seem to be a good month for fish- 
cultural work — the hogfish, porgee, and sea mullet are breed- 
ing at that time. 
Birds.—'The laboratory is indebted to Professor T. G. 
Pearson, of Guilford College, for the identification of some 
fifty summer birds. Gulls and terns are uncommon in the 
harbor. In the salt marshes several herons are abundant, 
also the clapper rail and the marsh wren (Worthington's), the 
interesting false nests of which are easily found. The Florida 
