Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-05-27
A LIVING POP-GUN.


from an article in the June Galaxy on
"Clever Fish -
-a.aazaaaaa A LYING. POP-GUN.
There is little fish, the cha4todon,
Astounding in the eastern seas, from
Ceylon to Japan, which secures it's prey
by means Of an instrument like the
blow-pipe used by mischievous school
boys for projecting peas and other
means Of torment The nose of the
fish is a kind of beak, through which
he has the power of propelling a drop
of water with force enough to disable a
fly, preparatory to swallowing it. His
aim is accurate, and he rarely misses
his object. The 11nsuspecting fly sits
on a spray of weed, a twig, or tuft of
grass, near the water, pluming himself
in the warm rays of the SUM- The fish
cautiously places himself under the fly,
stealthily projects his tube from the
water, takes sure aim, and lets fly.
Down drops the little innocent to be
swallowed by the fish. -. .... .....
THE FISHING FROG.
Writers on natural history describe a
hideous reptile known as the fishing
frog, which angles for it's game as ex-
pertly and with as great success as the
most adroit fy-fsher. He is a clumsy,
awkward swimmer, but Nature has
compensated him for his unwieldiness
by furnishing him with an equivalent
for rod and line, with bait always
ready for USE Two elongated tenta-
cles spring from his nose, which taper
away like actual fishing rods. To the
end of them is attached by a slender
filament, which serves the purpose of a
line, bait in the form of shiny bit of
membrane The hooks are set in the
mouth of the fisherman down below,
and in order to induce the fish to ven
ture within reach of them, the angler
stirs up the mud at the bottom with his
fins and tail. This attracts the fish and
conceals him from their observation.
He then plies his rod the glittering
bait CLOVIS in the water like a living in
sect. The dazed fish are taken in great
numbers, perfectly circumvented by
the trick Of the crafty angler.
PRACTICAL JOKE BY FISH.
A gentleman living on the Savannah
river, Georgia, was in the habit of send.
ing his negroes down the river to fish
with nets, as the tide served. On one
occasion, two of his boys reached the
fishing ground before the tide had fallen
sufficiently for their purposes. Cufee
always goes to sleep when he has moth
ing else to do. So pushing a pole into
| the mud, they tied the canoe thereto,
and lying down intended to sleep unit
the tide served. But along came huge
devil-fsh, which grubbed up the pole
and tucking it under his ripper, began
towing the canoe and it's contents to-
ward the deep water When the ne.
groes awoke they were terrified well
nigh out of their wits. They were pro.
| ceeding to sea at the rate of about fo1i1
miles an hour, but the power propelline
The canoe was wholly invisible. The
first impulse was to jump overheard
but it occurred to them in time, fortu
nately, that they were unable to SWIM
Finally the rope by which master devil
fish was towing them was cut, and they
reached the land in pitiable state OF
! terror.
An individual of this species has
been known to take up the kedge of 6
small schooner and carry it for upward
of a mile, towing the vessel that dis
lance, when he dropped the anchor, ap
parently fatigued with the amusement