234 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



I have 3 examples, one from Point Pleasant, which are posi- 

 tively this species. Others from Cape May and Ocean City have 

 about 17 dorsal rays respectively. They do not differ however 

 in any respect other than that which may be attributed to indi- 

 viduals. None of my examples show any traces of fine white 

 spots, apparently the only reliable character for the determination 

 of Hippocampus punctulatus. Young examples of H. hudsonius 

 show the tubercles on the body-rings alternately more or less en- 

 larged. Sea horses are quite common at times on our coast and 

 have frequently been taken near Atlantic City. They frequently 

 occur about grass to which thc}^ cling by means of their pre- 

 hensile tails. 



Hippocampus hudsonius Lockwood, Am. Nat., i, 1867, p. 226. 

 —Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 828.— Moore, Bull. U. S. F. Com., 

 XII, 1892, p. 360. 



Hippocampus heptagoiins Lockwood, Am. Nat., XXI, 1887, p. 

 III. 



Hippocampus punctulatus Guichenot, 



Horse Fish. 



Dorsal of female with yellow margin, of male orange, and in 

 both a submarginal band, and also a dark blotch at top of an- 

 terior dorsal rays. One male had body rings with dark brown 

 vertical stripes. A female had wider stripes on throat converging 

 behind, flanked in front by a few irregular dark blotches, and be- 

 hind by 4 interrupted lines. White punctulations most numerous 

 posteriorly. All have several linear stripes obliquely across 

 opercles and eye, and usually 2 on neck. Abdominal edge dark. 

 Late in August those taken at Ocean City had greatly developed 

 cirri, and the males were with fully distended pouches. (Bean.) 



I have no other record of this fish on the New Jersey coast, 

 except that by Dr. Bean, who speaks of it as rather abundant 

 about Ocean City and Somers Point. It has not been recorded 

 so far to the north before. From the well-known species, Hip- 

 pocodnpus hudsonius, it may be distinguished by the light dots. 



Hippocampus ptmctulaius Bean, Bull. U. S. F. Com., VII, 

 1887, p. 134. 



