388 MUD-LOVING FISHES. 
except in tne manner following. The simiiarity of these two 
Enneaeanthi is so marked, that unless living, they can 
scarcely be distinguished ; and considering the abundance of 
one and presence of the other, but not associated, we suggest 
that the Æ. obesus is with us, not of its own choice, but 
foreibly brought by freshets from the localities where it is 
the only Finden (New York State) to this, the proper 
territory of the E. guttatus. Once here it occupies certain 
Streams from which it has driven the former occupant, E. 
guttatus. lt is always found in the streams having unob- 
structed access to the river. If this be a true explanation 
of its presence does it not confirm its claim to a distinct 
specific title? In the “Geology of New Jersey” we con- 
founded the two species, considering Pomotis guttatus Mor- 
ris, a synonym of Zryttus obesus Girard. 
On the 16th of March we found females of the Mud 
Minnow (Melanura limi), in clear, cold, running water. 
They were much distended with large masses of MM 
ored eggs, that we should judge were nearly “ripe.” We 
have watched them frequently since but failed to find them 
depositing these ova. Atthis time, April 19, a large propor- 
tion of the females are no longer gravid. It would appear 
that in March they were passing up stream, or brook, to 
spawn, but appeared to be unaccompanied by males. > 
We have lately found that this fish, when grown, feeds 
largely upon small shells (Physa and Lymnea). We have 
seen them seize the animal, crush and then drop the shell, 
and then, by nibbling at the extruded soft parts, finally suc- 
ceed in devouring all but the shell. Young crawfish are also 
worried to death by this cyprinodont, which at first bites off 
the larger claws, and ultimately succeeds in crushing the 
whole shell. On the other hand they are themselves ex- 
posed to attacks from a voracious animal, which takes advan- 
tage of their lying buried in the mud. We refer to the 
odoriferous Cinosternoid ( Ozotheca odorata). This turtle 
appears to be able to discover the whereabouts of the mud- 
