Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-06-09

esting article in the April number of Putnam's
Monthly entitled g Nature in Motion, we clip the
following paragraphs -,
For known and unknown purposes, IN the tny
mountain brooks and in the wide ocean, fishes are
in unceasng motion, darhng in all directions,
travelling now single and now in shoais-Iheirre re-
gular Journeys mostly undertaken for the pur-
pose of spawning; the delicate mackerel moves so
southward when its time comes, and the beautiful
sardie of the Mediterranean goes in the spring
westward, and returns in autumn to the east. The
sturgeon of northern Europe is seen singly to as
cend the great rivers of the continent anu the orna
migratory salmon of the polar seas travels, we
know not how, through river and lake, up into the
Baikal and there swims, in whimsical alterations,
but always in immense Ltowds first on the southern
and then on the northern bank.
The travels of the salmon probably best
known, because the fish was favorite already IN
the days of Plny and yet strange enough, Is 1ouna
in every in the Arctic the equator, ana OH
New Holland, only not in the Mediterranean. They
press in large, triangular masses, up all the great
northern rivers of Europe, ASIA and America Ihey
enter Bohemia with Shakespeare by sea, sailing up
the river Flee; they approach Switzerland III the
green waters of the Rhine and even the foot OF the
Cordilleras by journey of 5000 miles up the Anna
zon! Their crowds not unfrequenty so dense
that they actually stem for awhile the current OF
the mighty rivers still their bands are formed with
great regularity The strongest and largest females
lead-a fact which will rejoice the strongmlnded
women of our age-folowed by others of the same
sex travelling and two at Intervals after them
come the males in like order.
With noise like the distant roaring Of storm,
they rush up the stream now sporting in easy,
graceful motion and now dartng ahead with light
ming speed that the eye cannot follow DO tnev
come to some rock or wall that impedes their way,
thew lean with incredible force and repeat the effort
until they have overcome the difficulty 1t is even
said that at the foot of the cataracs they will take
their tail in their mouths, and then suddenly letting
it 60 like electric spring, rise twelve or niteen
feet in the air. And thus they travel on, undIsmay
ed and untired, until they have found a suitable
place for depositng their eggs, and with the same
marvellous instinct return, year after year TO the
distant ocean.
The herring is small, insignificant fish, yet it
gives food to millions, and employment to not less
than 5000 dec'ed vessels, not to speak OF all the
omen boats employed in the same fshery.--W here
their home is man does not know 1t is only Ger
tain that they not met with beyond certain de-
of northern latitude and that the genuine her-
ring enters the Mediterranean, and hence re-
NAMED unknown to the ancients. in April ana
June, all of sudden, innulnerable masses appear
in the northern seas, forming vast banks, often
thirty miles long and ten wide. Their depth mas
never been satisfactorily ascertained and their
denseness may be judged by the fact that lances
and harpoons thrust in them sink not and move not,
remain standing upright Divided into bands, her
rings also in certain order. Long before
their arrival already their coming is noticed by the
focks of sea birds that watch them on high, Wniie
sharks are seen to sport around them, and a thick
oily Shiny substance spread over their columns,
coloring the sea in daytime, and shining with
mild, mysterious light, in dark, still night.
The sea ape, the monstrous chimera OF the
learned precedes them, and is hence called by the
fishermen the king behring's Then there are first
seen single males, often three four days in adj
Of the great army; next follow the strongest
and largest and after them enormous shoals count
less like the sands of the shore and the stars IN
the heaven They seek places that abound IN stones
and marine plants, where to spawn, and like other
animals they frequent the localities to which they
have become accustomed at a regular time, so that
thev ma he as
and sets.
Other fishes have strange pecuarites connected
with their travels. Thus, told that the mack
erel spend their winter in, what would appear to
Others most uncomfortable position-In the Arc
tic well in the Mediterranean, soon as winter
comes, they deliberately plunge their head and the
anterior part of their body in deep mud, keeping
their tails erected, standing straight up. This po-
sition they do not change until spring, when they
emerge in Incredible numbers from their hiding
places and go southwark for the purpose of deposit
ing their eggs in genial waters. Still they are
so firmly welded to this clement that they die the
instant they taken out Of the water and then
shine with phosphorescent light.
The eel is the strangest of travelling fishes; he
even performs journeys on land. In hot, dry sum-
mers, when ponds and pools are exhausted, he
boldly leaves his home, and winding through thick
grass makes his was by night to the nearest water
He is a great gourmand, moreover, and loves young
tender peas dearly that he will leave the river
itself and climb up steep banks to satisfy his desire,
and, alas to fall into the snares of wicked men.
Other fishes travel in large crowds all night long,
and perch in Tanquebar not only creeps on shore,
but actually climbs up tall fanpalms in pursuit of
certain shell fish, which form its favorite food.
Covered with viscid slime, he gides smoothly over
the rough bark; spines, which he may sheath and
unfold at will, serve him like hands to hang by and
with the aid of side fins and powerful tail, he
pushes himself upward. thus completing the strange
picture of fish and shell-hsh dwelling high on lofty
trees