BIOLOGICAL NOTES. 
307 
Tetragonurus cuvieri, Square-tail; Sea-raven. 
This very rare species, described from Nice in 1810, was until 1890 known only from the coast of 
southern France and the Madeira Islands. The original describer considered it a deep-water form that 
approached the coasts only for spawning purposes. On November 10, 1890, the species was added to 
the western Atlantic fauna by the capture of a specimen at Woods Hole. The taking of another at 
the same place, on August 1, 1899, is interesting and unexpected; the fish, about 1£ inches long, was 
found under a mass of floating rock -weed in Vineyard Sound. (H. M. Smith.) 
Alutera monoceros, File-fish. 
The detection of this very interesting East Indian species on our coast at Woods Hole in August, 
1898, was referred to in a recently issued paper by the writer. While possibly this is the species 
recorded from Cuba by Parra in 1787 and by Poey in 1863, the evidence is far from conclusive. The 
seining of a second specimen, 81 inches long, at Menemsha Bight, on August 1, 1899, is now recorded. 
(H. M. Smith.) 
Gadus callarias, Cod. 
On the conclusion of the fishing for brood cod in the fall of 1899, 14 cod weighing from 4 to 6 
pounds, taken with hand-lines off Nomans Land or Nantucket, were inadvertently left in the well of 
the Grampus and not discovered until April, 1900. These fish were placed in the well not later than 
November 18, possibly some days before. During this time they had not been fed, and had only such 
food as came through the holes in the well. When released in Gloucester harbor on April 16, they were 
found to be litely and strong, although somewhat emaciated, and it was noticed that their backs and 
sides were much darker than normal, while the belly was unusually light-colored. (E. E. Hahn.) 
Gadus callarias, Cod. 
On January 11, 1899, 2,260,000 recently hatched cod were planted in Eel Pond, at Woods Hole. 
The fish were kept under observation until June 20, 1899, by which time only a few remained in the 
pond. The following extreme and average lengths were exhibited by specimens seined at intervals 
of about one week during April, May, and June: 
Date. 
April 8 . 
April 17 
April 25 
April 28 
May 5. . . 
May 13. . 
Extreme 
length. 
Average 
length. 
Date. 
Extreme 
length. 
Average 
length. 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
29 to 38 
32.9 
May 19 
45 to 53 
47.7 
33 47 
38.8 
May 25 
58 68 
64.0 
34 49 
40. 0 
June 6 
71 76 
73.5 
36 56 
41. 0 
■Tune 12 
71 73 
72. 0 
31 44 
37. 4 
June 20 
73 77 
75.0 
35 51 
42.8 
(H. M. Smith.) 
Solen ensis. 
In the early evening of June 20, 1899, a largo number of young razor-clams, measuring from 1 to 
10 mm. in length, were caught in the auftrieb at Wickford, R. I. These clams, some of them nearly 
half an inch long, do not, of course, possess a ciliated swimming organ. The larger specimens had 
shells which were hard and comparatively heavy, and all fell directly to the bottom when transferred 
from the tow-net to a dish of water. Occasionally, however, they arose and swam to the surface, 
propelling themselves rapidly by a curious kicking movement of the very powerful foot. When they 
were taken the evening was cloudy and a high wind was blowing from the south. The temperature 
of the water was 72° F., and the density at the surface was 1.0202. (A. D. Mead.) 
Naushonia crangonoides. 
A beautiful specimen of this rare decapod was found in the sand on the shore of Ram Island, 
near Woods Hole, July 22, 1899. It was a female bearing bright orange-colored eggs and nearly 1^ 
inches in length. Its behavior in captivity was much like that of Gehia and Callianassa. It was found 
below a crater-like depression, evidently of its own making, and lived in the laboratory in a shallow 
dish of sea water until December 17, 1899. The type specimen of this crustacean was taken by Prof. 
H. C. Bumpus near the “Gutter” on Naushon Island, February 13, 1893, and is now in the collection of 
the Essex Institute. The specimen captured in 1899 is the only other one known. (G. M. Gray.) 
