The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-03-16
Trout FISHES.

FGBfF IafF hfffHE AAteeF n wv 1880 ~ -
Of OgeRse aud Defense.
Many Of the methods which man has
found most effective in hunting, or IN
that inhuman occupation--war--are EN-
ployed by fishes. There is scarcely n
snort which men practice, or a weapon OF
eiense which they use, to which they do
not present a parallel. Mr.. Francis, in
Faser's Magazine, gives many instances
in illustration of this fact, from which
the following are taken:
Dagcers, spears and swords are al! pos
sessed by fishes in a very high state OF
natural perfection, and even guns are
reprosented among them. The Ghetto
don. q fish which is found in the eastern
seas from Ceylon to Japan, has the power
Of propclling a small drop of water, with
considerable accuracy and force, through
Its nose. which is a kind Of beak. With
this missile it kills the insects which con-
stitutc It's food.
There are also fishes which fish for
their game with rod, line and bait, as
skiufully as any angler. The fishing
frog is sometimes fveor six feetin length,
has a huge head and mouth, and is pro-
vided with large sacs attacked to its gill
covers, in which its slows its victims 1t
Is an Indifferent swimmer and is too
clumsy TO support existence by the fleet
ness Of its motion. Two long prongs
spring from the creatures nose, which
taper away like fishing rods To the
ends of these is attached, by slender
threads, a glittering morsel of membrane,
which il the bait. The LOphius conceaIs
himself by stirring up the mud on the
bottom with his fins and tails. He waves
the halt 10 and fro, 20 that it appears
like living insect glancing through the
water, and when the prey are attracted,
he rises suddenly, scizes them, and de-
posits them In his bagnet, where they re-
main, 10 be transferred to his stomach at
leisure.
There are also fish which hunt their
prey singly or IN pairs, or even in packs,
like hounds. POrpoises have been seen
driving and-cels together, gradually SUR
rounding them. aud then, making dash
at them, devouring q dozen at mouth
full. The pike and trout are examples
fish which hunt their prey singly and
the way In which cnco Of these will course
ana run down smaller fish resembles
nothing 40 much As a greyhound cOursing
hare. OF fish which hunt their food
like dogs or wolves in packs, the Bonito
which .shsses the flying fish, Is an in
stance and one, perhaps, Of the iierccst
most savage aud resolute Of these is the
ppirnl u south America, The Prira
has fighting.lo0king kind Of nose and {
cold. cruel eye. The jaw Is square, pow
erfal and, for the sire az the Ssh, lockeC
into very large head. Although th'
creature Il only about sixteen inche
long. Il has teeth nearly ~ large a. thos'
n 4 shark. These iish abound In oil thl
rivers Of Guinea, They are very vora
cions, aud there Is scarcely any anima
which they viii nos attack.
some hsh employ Others TO hunt thCi
prey ior them. There u, ior instance
the little pflol-fsh, which leads th
shark 10 BIZ prey. This has been dis
pu,ed, but Il appears, in some cases, :
- beyond doubt. Probably the Pilot
R.h accompanies the shark, pTincipall
III protection, and Il on the lookout 70
III own dinner.
Many weapons Of ofienso and detens
are poseacd by fishes. The sword
npemntcd BY the blade Of the sword
hsh. This hsh possesses a tFemendousl
powerful weapon. backed a. il i by III
great weight and impetus which i ca
bring "a bear On ita thrusts. Akin :
ihe sword-ish In Is offensive capabili
tios are the aw-ashea. Though thei
weapons resemble rather such a. an
used 81 certain savage tribes than civil
izgd saws, yet they are terrible weapons
and The Indians, who edge their spear