The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1876-06-21

they yet could struggle, he would dart after
them with surprising rapidly. They are rath-
er shy, and need some hiding place even whom
Kept IN an Aquarium. have never known
one to eat another fish, nor a piece Of oues all
though have often tried TO induce them To-
do SO. Ihave known them when very hun.
CRY IN the Aquarium to sieze piece Of fish
when dropped in the water near By them; but
after holding it in the mouth a short time II
vas always ejected. From this infer that
the Pomotis Is not, As many other fishes are,
piciverous, or flsh-eaters. So far as have
yet seen, the Pomotis Appendix is the only
species that inhabits the Neshanic.
Darter- Boleosoma Olmstedi To tho same
family,th Theraponidae, belongs the Darter,
or Boleosoma. This beautiful little ASH im
our rivnlet, sometimes attains the length of
three inches. But l have generally seen ii
not more than two and half inches long,
The condal fin, or tail, marked with about
five CT ten vertical wavey bands, locks as II II
had been cut off with the scissors--so even is
the distal end. The pectoral fins are long,
and marked with about tho same number of
vertical wavey lines. The abdominal fins are
situated but little postcrior to the pectoral.--
Upon the back is double fin, or rather two
! fins. The first hrs about eight spiney rays
that project little beyond the membrane
that unites them. The second is composed
entirely of solt rays.
| Tho color of the top part Of the head of this
! fish is rather pumbeous Its sides are a din.
gy yellow, dappled along the upper half with
dark-colored spots. Its eyes are prominent,
and under each one of them usually, may be
seen vertical line, from thence to four times
as long as broad. The face of this fish is ov-
all its mouth is situated very low, and its up
per jaw is SO fashioned that when the animal
with closed mouth, is viewed from before, the
under jaw is not visible. This little fish seems
to prefer clear water, of considerable depth,
and is most frequently found in ponds with
stony bottoms, resting upon or by the side OF
a stone. From this Circumstance 1T Is often
called the Stone fish.
A popularity of this little member ef ere
finny tribe that rs very apt to attract the at
tention of an observer, is its rapid motions
when disturbed from its place of rest, to an
other place Of rest. And In time OF danger'
instead of going under stone or stick to con-
ceal itself, as many other fishes do, it puts up
with position by the side of the object, or
even on the top of it.
few days ago when emptying basin in
which were a compile OF Darters, / observed
that they adhered to the bottom OF tho vessel
until the water was entirely off of them, and
the bottom Of the vessel was almost vertical.
AS few Dace that were IN tie basin With
them moved along over the bottom so glibly,
their fixed appearance in a place OF rest, arous-
ed my curiosity. I wondered bow it was that
they could maintain their position upon the
smooth surface Of tin vessel at SO great an
INCLINATION. While rejecting upon this phe-
nomehoii. remembered that never saw a
Barter moving his fins, as many other fishes
do, when maintaining fixed position In NOV
ing water. | at once concluded there must
be something peculiar in the anatomy OF this
fsh that enables It to do So Upon examining
lot of specimens in my collection of fish, 7
noticed that in the centre OF the belly of each
fish is ali elfptieal cavity, reaching from a
point a little behind the abdominal fins to a
point little anterior to the annol fin. AS a
similar depression was not found Upon tie
belly Of other fishes before me, in this ar
rangedienS expected to find solution Of the
phenomenon.
Hereupon I Commented experimenting,
and Concluded that the abose named asahe-
sion depended upon a peculiar control tliae
this little animal has over tile walls of its bel
| ly. 1t seems to me that when the fish is in
motion, its body is distended and symmetrical.
But when it wishes to fix itself upon stone,
| ii let's it's belly rest thereon and then with a
peculiar muscular effort it seems to raise the
centre Of the area, which in the dead fish is u
depression, in such way as to produce q
vacuum between the centre of the fishes bel
| ly and the stone on which it is resting. To
me, this seems like an arrangement wonder
fully simple, to accomplish result so import
ant. But simplicity with efficacy marks all
the ways Of the Divine Architect. With Him,
complication is not necessary.
Should any one question the efficacy of so
small vacuum, let him try TO refdose his foot
from tightly-itting wet boot while his foot
ana leg, 10 his KNEE, ID uuueI WhtcIJ VI ud"iuk
plunged common metallic syringe having the
capacity of pint, under water, tightly clasp
the finger oyer the nozzle of the instrument,
and then attempt to draw out tbs piston
Either of these experiments think win cure
the most incredulous.
As to the order Of abdominal soft inned 6sh-
es, in our rivulet We have found members that
belong to four families, namely the Siluridae,
the Cprindae, the Catostomidae, and Cyl r.
nodontodae.
To the family, siIuridae, belongs our COM
mon Catfish (Amiurus Dekayi), SO well known
that description seems needless. Tie Cat
fish is chiefly vegetsf;ap although he prefers
mixed diet. In the Aquarium | have not
seen him manifest any tendency to eat other
fish, but he seems very fond of worms. How
ever, he has the reputation of eating insects
of almost all kinds, small mollusks, small fish,
es, and even small birds-and he has mouth
enough to do it too,--but have never known
him to use it for this purpose.
| I'll. hat 10 ,I.or IF Of