WILDLIFE OF THE ATLANTIC COAST SALT MARSHES 27 



tion. This should be done with a stout rubber bulb, not by the 

 mouth, unless there is no other way, as the venom may be absorbed 

 through abrasions in the lining of the mouth. 6 



FISHES 



It is not in the province of this circular to treat of the fishes of 

 salt marshes, but it should be mentioned that the waters of these 

 marshes harbor large number of certain small fishes that are known 

 to devour many mosquito larvae, or wigglers. They include the 

 moderately stout killifishes of several kinds (Funduhis spp.), mostly 

 greenish, marked with dusky and pale cross bands. They vary from 

 2 to 6 inches in length, when adult, and occur in one form or an- 

 other along the whole coast line. The pursy minnow (Cyprinodon 

 variegatus), also with faint cross bars, is higher bodied, more the 

 shape of a sunfish. The male is bluish above, coppery below, and 

 the female olivaceous. These minnows are 2 to 4 inches in length 

 and are found from Cape Cod southward. Another mosquito-de- 

 vouring group is the silversides (Menidia notata) — slender, translu- 

 cent greenish fishes, with a silvery streak along each side. Their 

 maximum length is about 5 inches, and they occur along the whole 

 coast line. 



Proper ditching of salt marshes to control mosquitoes has as one 

 of its objects that of making every bit of water area of the marsh 

 accessible to the small larva- or wiggier-eating fishes. The reason 

 for keeping all pools and ditches smooth- or clean-edged is to leave 

 no cover where the mosquito larvae can escape the fishes. 



MAMMALS 



Xo fitr-bearing or other mammal inhabits salt marshes exclusively. 

 Muskrats and meadow mice may live in the marshes at all seasons 

 but in colonies that are only outliers of a very extensive inland 

 range. Meadow mice, or field mice (Microtus pennsylvamciis) , in- 

 habit the marsh-hay zone, and sometimes may be quite numerous. 

 They are short -tailed, smoothly rounded little rodents, not even the 

 ears" sticking out of the fur to any extent. Their average length 

 is about 5y 2 inches for the body, plus V/ 2 inches for the tail. Their 

 runways are narrow, irregular, and intersecting, some beneath, some 

 on the "surface of the ground. They are easily observable on burned- 

 over areas or in spring after snow has melted away, from the flat- 

 tened vegetation. Meadow mice feed largely on vegetable materials 

 and in salt marshes can do no harm. They" are the most frequently 

 captured prev of a number of kinds of hawks and owls. 



In form, muskrats (Ondatra zibetMca) (pi. 6, C) are not unlike 

 meadow mice, but thev are about 2 feet long, of winch nearly half is 

 the bare, laterally compressed tail. The animals live in areas where 

 bulrushes and cattails are abundant, feed upon all parts of these 

 plants, and use them as materials for their winter lodges. These are 

 low conical mounds, substantially built, and standing high enough 

 above the water line to provide ample space within for a dry. grass- 

 's For information on poisonous snakes and treatment of their bites see the following : 

 rxirFD States Biological Survey, poisonous sxakes of the exited states Wildlife 

 LSh aS F Management Leaflet BS-70. 19 pp. 1936 [Mimeographed.] Obtainable 

 on request from the D. S. Bureau of Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. 



