No. 481] 



HABITS OF FIERASFER 



3 



At last, and, so far as I was able to judge, by accident, its nose 

 came in contact with the holothurian near the anterior end. Imme- 

 diately the fish appeared to become excited and he<j;im to feel its 

 way back toward the posterior end of rlic liDloiliiiilaii. In its 

 procuress it bumped its nose rapidly a<.'-aiiist ihc side of the passive 

 holothurian, and, as if following a scent, prociu^lcd without any 

 pause or regression toward the cloacal aperture. The instant 

 that the nose of the fish touched the edge of the aperture, which 

 was rather tightly closetl, the slender tail was brought around with 

 a very ra[)id whip-like movement, which terminated in a thrust 

 w^iereby about 5 millimeter^ of the tij) were darted into the narrow 

 slit between the apposed lip.> of the cloaca. This movement was 



effected while the nose of the fish was stiU touching the cloacal 



Up to this time the fish had exhibited more or less excitement 

 but as soon ns the tip of its tail had l)etMi inserted it straightened 



host* In thi.r process the fish aj.peared to hv making xrnie use <.f 

 the spines of the dorsal ami ventral lins. The motion was a slow, 

 gliding one and was not (h'pendent on the relaxing of the cloacal 

 sphincter of the holotlnirian. 



The lips of the cloacal aperture remained closed during the 

 ingress except ^o far as they were forced apart by the body of the 

 fish. 



