202 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



out. Dr. Malcolm Laurie suggested that the Cod seized the live 

 Whelks and pulled them in two. To try this in the aquarium, 

 I seized a well-expanded Whelk behind the foot and gave it a 

 sharp shake, with the result that the Whelk broke in two, 

 leaving the foot in my hand, just as it occurs in the Cod. The 

 Cod then, I think, seizes the Whelks when expanded, and gives 

 them a sharp shake, so getting rid of the shell, but losing the 

 softer parts of the meat. Some other fish shake their prey. 



Feeding Habits of the Conger-Eel and some other Fish 



in Captivity. 



In the aquarium Congers feed readily on such fish as Saithe 

 (Gadus virens), Lythe (G. pollachius), and Goldsinny (Cteno- 

 labrus rujjestris). They generally seize their prey about the 

 middle of the body, then by a sudden snap transfer their hold 

 to the head, and then swallow it head first. I have once 

 seen a relatively small Saithe (about six inches long) swallowed 

 tail first. 



Congers do not take mollusc food, such as shelled Mussel or 

 Limpet, unless very hungry. In winter they hardly feed at all, 

 but in summer they will take a fish nearly every day. 



The Ballan Wrasse (Labrns bergylta), in captivity, feeds 

 readily on various Crabs, such as Cancer, Carcimcs, Portunns, 

 Hyas, and Eupagwrus. If the Crab is a large one the Wrasse 

 makes sudden rushes at it, and tries to snap its legs off so as to 

 disable it. If the Crab is not too big the Wrasse seizes it and 

 dashes it against the bottom or rockwork of the tank, thus 

 knocking off the limbs and breaking the shell up ; the limbs are 

 eaten later. I have had two Wrasses in captivity for nearly 

 a year and two years respectively. Last year number one 

 resented the presence of the new-comer, but has become more 

 friendly now. Under natural conditions I think each fish has 

 a home in the rocks, which is guarded against strangers. 



Goldsinnies (Ctenolabrus rupestris) behave in a similar way. 

 I have seen them attack Fifteen-spined Sticklebacks (Gastero- 

 steus spinachius) , seize them, carry them about, and shake 

 them viciously. They also readily attack Gobies and young 

 Gadoids, even pulling pieces off the tails of fish much larger 

 than themselves. 



