634 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. (VoL. XXXIX. 
HABITS AND HABITAT. 
The hagfish abounds in the Bay of Monterey, and is taken on 
the regular fishing grounds, particularly on the rock-cod beds, at 
a depth of about three hundred feet. The bottom here is rocky 
and coated with a thin, smooth sediment, but without any great 
amount of sand or seaweed.  Infrequently it is captured in 
shallower waters along shore where the bottom is sandy. From 
observation of several hundred individuals, I find that in the 
aquarium they evidently prefer the hard bottom when at rest/* 
lying for the most part coiled in and out among the rocks, some- 
times with their heads under cover, but more often with about 
two inches of the head projecting freely into the water. "When 
not among the rocks, or not swimming, they rest coiled up on 
the bottom of the tank (Fig. 2), occasionally resting on the sand, 
but more often on the wood where the sand has been pushed 
aside. Ata time when there were about thirty fish in the tank, 
I kept watch fora week to see how many chose the different 
kinds of bottom. I transcribe here the notes taken at the 
time. 
July 24, A.M. All were among the rocks but two. Of these 
two, one was curled entirely on the wood, the other curled on 
the wood with its head resting on the sand. 
July 24, P.M. Two were lying entirely on the wood, the rest 
were among the rocks. 
July 25, Noon. The same as on the previous day. After 
pouring water on them vigorously, and so stirring them up to 
swim around, six settled finally on the wood, two of them with 
their heads resting on the sand, while the others returned to the 
rocks. 
July 26, Noon. Two were on the wood, the rest among the 
rocks. 
July 26, P. 4. All were among the rocks. 
July 27, A.M. Two were on the wood, the rest among the 
rocks. 
July 28, Noon. One on the wood, the rest among the rocks. 
vi 29. Two on wood, one on sand, the rest among the 
rocks. 
