184 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
dark brown. Some specimens are much dai'ker than others, the color varying according to the 
environment in which they w^ere taken, as “color protection” is measurably developed in the species. 
This species is represented by 120 specimens, ranging from 30 to 190 millimeters (1}4 to 
inches) in length. This pipefish is readily recognized by the long snout, which is notably longer 
than the rest of the head, and by the short dorsal, which occupies only 1 or 1.5 body and 5.5 or 
6 caudal rings. 
A thorough and comprehensive study of the spawning habits, as well as the embryology of 
this species, was made at the United States Fisheries Biological Station at Beaufort, N. C., by 
Gudger (1905, pp. 447 to 500, Pis. V to XI). The act of spawning — that is, transferring the eggs 
from the female to the marsupium of the male — was observed by Gudger in fish confined in the 
aquarium. Spawning apparent^ took place only at night and a well lighted room did not seem 
to interfere with the process. The fish intertwined their bodies like two letter S’s, the one reversed 
upon the other, the bodies coming in contact at three points, including the vicinity of the vent. 
Quoting Gudger directly from this point, he says: 
The anal papilla, or the protruding oviduct of the female, is, at the moment of contact of their bodies, thrust into the button- 
hole-shaped opening at the anterior end of the marsupium. Some eggs, in number a dozen or more, now pass into the pouch and 
are presumably fertilized at this moment. 
The eggs are now in the anterior end of the pouch, and no more can be received until these have been gotten into the posterior 
end. To bring this about, the male performs some very curious movements. He stands nearly vertically, and, resting his caudal 
fin and a small part of the tail on the floor of the aquarium, bends backward and forward and twists his body spirally from above 
downward. This is repeated until the eggs have been moved into the posterior end of the pouch. » * * Then a short period 
of rest was observed to take place, which was followed by a repetition of the described process. Four alternate periods of spawning 
and resting were observed in one pair of fish between 10.15 and 11.06 p. m. 
Gudger further says that it is not likely that the eggs are all transferred at one time: First, 
because of the means used in moving the eggs backward in the pouch; second, because males are 
frequently found with the pouch only partially filled; and third, because males with eggs at two or 
three stages of development are not infrequent. The ripe egg at spawning, according to Gudger, 
is about 1 millimeter in diameter, and the incubation period is given as about 10 days. In Chesa- 
peake Bay male fish with eggs in the pouch were taken from May to October, indicating a protracted 
spawning season. 
The food, according to the contents of 13 stomachs examined, consists largely of small crusta- 
ceans, including schizopods, isopods, and copepods. Two specimens also had fed on ova of unknown 
origin . 
This pipefish was found only in the southern part of Chesapeake Bay, and it w r as not taken 
during the winter, when it probably leaves the bay for w r armer waters. This species reaches the 
northernmost range of its distribution in Chesapeake Bay, from which it has been recorded only 
once previously. The maximum length attained by this species is about 9 inches. 
Habitat. — Chesapeake Bay to Texas. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous record: Hampton Creek and Cape Charles city, Va. 
(6) Specimens in collection: Crisfield, Md.; and Lewisetta, lower Rappahannock River, low r er York 
River, Cape Charles, creek tributary to Lynnhaven Bay, and Cape Henry, Va. 
90. Syngnathus louisianae Gunther. Pipefish. 
Syngnathus louisianse Gunther, Cat. Fish., Brit. Mus., VIII, 1870, p. 160; New Orleans. 
Siphostoma louisianse Bean, 1891, p. 84; Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 770; Smith and Kendall, 1898, p. 176. 
This species has twice been recorded from Chesapeake Bay, but it does not occur in the present 
collection unless we are in error in assigning to S. fuscus certain specimens in which the dorsal 
occupies 3 dorsal and 5 body rings. The position of the dorsal in these specimens is correct for 
S. louisianae, but the dorsal rays and body rings come within the range of fuscus. The specimens, 
furthermore, have the short snout of fuscus. The distinguishing characters of these forms are given 
in the key to the species. This pipefish undoubtedly is very rare in Chesapeake Bay. 
Habitat. — Virginia to Texas. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous record: Cape Charles city, Va. (6) Specimens in collec- 
tion: None. 
