FRESH-WATER FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 107 
coloration of both B. chatodon and B. obesus is very vari- 
able. On removing them from the water the black stripes 
of the former, and brilliant spots of the latter, are very dis- 
tinct, but they soon fade even if replaced in water. In an 
aquarium, when first placed in it, they are dull, yellowish 
brown, with no distinet bars or spots, but in a short time 
they resume that coloring which easily distinguishes them 
from other sunfish; the cAetodon becoming silvery, the 
obesus, deep olive. 
Pirate Perch (Aphrodederus Sayanus). In the “Geology 
of New Jersey,” page 808, we make the following statement : 
"The ‘pirate’ makes a nest after the manner of the sunfish, 
and with the female guards it and afterwards the young, till 
they reach a size of one-third of an inch, when they are left 
by their parents, etc.” Since the above was written (1866) 
we have had some opportunities of farther studying the 
habits of this peculiar fish. We believe that they occupy 
the nests made by sunfish, but do not scoop them out for 
themselves. Furthermore this is not the only manner of 
breeding, but like many other fish they seek out-of-the-way 
places, as deserted burrowings of the musk-rats (Fiber 
zibethicus), and here the pair will remain several days, and 
when the young appear they are attended by the parents, or 
at least an adult pair, until they are about one-third of an 
inch. When young the Aphrodederus is very black, with a 
few pale, yellowish dots. The tail is margined with white, 
whieh disappears on the fish reaching an inch or more in 
length. The adult fish, measuring five inches in length, has 
been seen frequently to swallow one of its own kind meas- 
uring an inch. 
Mud Minnow (Melanura limi). It would be an interest- 
ing question to solve in how little water and how compact 
mud this fish can survive. Its gills present nothing pe- 
culiar in themselves, and certainly are not powerful enough ` 
to squeeze water out of the mud in which we have found 
them buried, two (and one four) inches deep. On closely 
