Marine biological report for the year ended ..and the half year ending .. . ich was found in an inflated condition, completely stoppingup the throat. Various species of Blaasop are specially abun-dant in the lagoons and tidal rivers, in which the Leguaanalso occurs. A pecuhar action was observed in nearly all specimens ofthis fish when first introduced into the tank. One tank islined w4th white tiles and the fish persisted in pressing theirprominent chin against this surface, paddling meanwhileenergetically with their fins as if to force their way throughthe tiles. This action was kept up for
Marine biological report for the year ended ..and the half year ending .. . ich was found in an inflated condition, completely stoppingup the throat. Various species of Blaasop are specially abun-dant in the lagoons and tidal rivers, in which the Leguaanalso occurs. A pecuhar action was observed in nearly all specimens ofthis fish when first introduced into the tank. One tank islined w4th white tiles and the fish persisted in pressing theirprominent chin against this surface, paddling meanwhileenergetically with their fins as if to force their way throughthe tiles. This action was kept up for days until the skin oftheir chin was rubbed through producing a large open occasionally rubbed in the same way against the glassfront of the tank. No explanation of this was behaviour otherwise was quite normal and they tookfood readily. Zee-slang {Heptatretus hexatrema, Miill.). This fish occurs abundantly in Table Bay and False Bay,and many specimens have been kept alive. Usually they donot thrive very well in the tanks. One specimen, however,. Sea Snakes {Hcptatniiis hexatrema, Miill.) which found a hole in the rockwork of the tank, lived andthrove well for over two years, till it grew too big for the this time an opportunity was afforded of obser\ing itshabits to some extent. It, however, only came out at night,and usually lay with only the tip of its snout or tail projectingfrom the hole during the day. It is well known among fisher-men that other fish avoid the Zee-slang, and even the mucuswhich is freely given offfrom the surface of its body, so that a[ 6-i4.] 114 hook and line, on which it has been caught, cannot be usedwith success to catch other fish. It was, therefore of specialinterest to note its habits in captivity. Only one fish wasobserved to attack it—a KHp-fish, which snapped once andonly once at its protruding tail. Sometimes during the day, if a piece of fish flesh was placedbefore the head of the fish, its method
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidmarinebiolog, bookyear1913
