NEW YORK SHELL CLUB NOTES No. 256 November 1979 Page 3 
estuarine life, over 1000 illustrations (line drawings, 12 color 
plates), detailed habitat descriptions; 329 pp., 33 oisah Woueae 
devoted to mollusks. $12.95, available at the museum bookshop. 
A COLLECTOR OF MINIATURES 
In the Jacksonville (Florida) Shell Club's publication SHELL-0-GRAM 
20(5) p.4, May 1979 we found an article entitled "Another Chapter 
In 'Shells are where you find them'." MThe author is Harry G. Lee, 
who reports on the findings of John Fatu, science teacher who, 
while on a field trip to Cedar Key last December, "gathered a pot- 
pourri of marine organisms as teaching aids" that included two liv- 
ing batfish. The larger of the two batfish was still alive at the 
time of the report; the smaller one, about five inches long, died 
on the second day of captivity. Mr. Fatu dissected its digestive 
tract and recovered a total of 129 recognizable molluscan specimens 
of small species that would range from 4mm to 12mm when adult. It 
would be interesting to screen in the area the batfish were taken. 
It was not mentioned whether or not there was material, crustacean 
or otherwise, ingested along with the mollusks listed below, or if 
any of the shells were in good condition. The species found were: 
Crepidula plana Say, 1822 2 specimens O juvenile 
Nassarius vibex (Say, 1822) 14 " 14 " 
Anachis ostreicola Melville, 1881 2 " 0 , 
Mitrella lunata (Say, 1826) 45 " 19 " 
Olivella pusilla (Marrat, 1871) 34 " 1 " 
Kurtziella limonitella (Dall, 1883) 2 " 1 " 
Pyrgocythara plicosa (C.B.Adams,1850) 29 " 14 " 
Acteocina canaliculata (Say, 1826) 1 " 0 " 
Dr. Lee contacted Robert Wagner, of Marathon in the Florida Keys, 
whom he recalled as having made similar observations. Mr. Wagner 
reported that he "has seen some 52 species from 50 batfish taken 
off the Florida panhandle." The batfish is described as a "mini- 
monster" and "a malacophagous machine" -- both quite apt as anyone 
who has ever seen one can attest to the first, and the above record 
of 129 mollusks in the digestive tract of a five-inch fish evidence 
of the second. 
This batfish is not to be confused with the skates and stingrays 
which are also frequently called "bat fish." This minimonster be- 
longs to the order Pediculati, as does the equally unattractive 
angler fish. It lives on the bottom and "walks on its elbows. 
In their er, "Records of Marine Mollusks Eaten by Bonefish in 
Puerto Tae Waters, " NAUTILUS 16(4) 1415 ff., Germaine Warmke and 
Donald Erdman observe that of many authors reporting on the mol- 
lusk-feeding habits of fishes, relatively few have identified the 
mollusks as to species. Their report of food material found in 
272 bonefish (Albula vulpes L.): 51% clams, 5% snails, 31% crabs, 
11% shrimp, 2% other. From the contents of 56 fish thay dene in 
fied 37 mollusks, the majority fragile bivalves, and moat o = . 
2 to 9 species per fish, with Codakia costata the favored mollus 
