The Ottawa free trader., 1876-02-12
Something About Fishes.
Cy

Many ofthe methods which man has found
most effective in hunting, or in that inhuman
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES employed by fishes.
There IS scarcely aspOrt'which men practice,
or II weapon Of offence which they use, TO
which they do not present Il parallel. MIR.
Francis, in "Frazer's Magazine" gives many
Instances in Illustration of This tact, from
which the following are taken;
Dageers, spears, and swords, are all pos
sessed by fishes in a very high state OF natural
perfection, and even guns are represented
among them. ChGtodon, fish which Is
found IN the eastern seas from Ceylon to ia
pan, has the power OF propelllng small drop
of water, with considerable accuracy and
force, through its nose, which is kind of
beak. With this missile it kills the insects
which constitute It's food.
There are also fishes which fish Tor their
game with rod, line, and bait, as skilltuily
as any angler The Fisling'lrog is some
times five or six feet in length, has hugc
head and mouth, and is provided with large
sacs attached to It's giil.covers, IN which II
slows its victims. 1t is an Indifferent SWIM
mer, and is too clumsy TO support existence
by the Eeetness Of its motions. Two long
prongs spring from the creatures nose, which
taper away like fshing-rods. 10 the ends OF
these is attached, by slender threads, slit
lering morsel.of membrane, which Is the Dait.
The Lopbius conceals himself by stirring up
the mud on the bottom with his fins ana tall
He waves the bait to and fro, so that 1t ap'
pears like living insect glancng through
| The water, and, when the prey was attracted,
he rises suddenly, seizes them, and deposits
them in his bag net, where they remain, to be
transferred to his stomach ut leisure.
There are also fish which hunt their prey
sipgly or in pairs, or even IN packs, ike
hounds. Porpoises have been seen driving
sand.eels together, gradually surrounding
them, and then, making a dash at them, de-
vouring {. dozen at muuthiul. The p'Ee
and trout are examples of fish which hunt
their prey singly; and the way IN which one
of these will course and run down smaller
fish resembles nothing so much as q grey
hound coursing q hare. OF fish which hunt
their food like dogs or wolves III packs, the
BonitO, which chaseS the tylDghsh, IS an IN
stance; and one, perhaps, OF NE nerces!,
most savage and rcsolule OF these Is the Fri
ari of South America. The Prlari has q
fighting looking kind Of nose, and cold,
cruel eye The Jaw Is square, powerful, and,
for the size Of the fish, locked into very
large head Although the creature is only
about sixteen inches long, it has teeth nearly
as large as those of u shark. These fish
abound in all the rivers Of Guiana. They are
very voracious, and there is scarcely any AMI
nal which they will not attack.
Some fish employ others TO hunt their prey
for them There is, for instance the lit,!t
: Pilot fish, which leads the shark 10 its prey
This has been disputed, but it appears, il
ONE cases, to be beyond doubt. Probably
the Pilot-fsh accompanies the shark primer
paly for protection, and is on the lookout To-
its own dinner.
Many weapons Of offence and defence ar,
possessed by fishes. The sword is represent
ed by the blade Of tie sword.tish. This tisl
{ possesses q tremendously powerful weapon
! backed as It is by the great weight and i'm
petus which it can bring to bear on is thrusts
t Akin to the sword-tlsh IN its offensive capa
I bill,ies are the saw-fshes. Though thel
| weapons resemble rather such as are used b.
certain savage tribes than civilized saws, ye
4 they are terrible weapons, and the Indian
, who edge their spears with sharks teeth, al
most reprodHCe the weapon of the saw-tsh
: The weapon Of the narwhal, which is foun(
e chiefly in the Artic seas, is very complete
and efficient spear, composed Of the hardes
f ivory, and tapering gradually to point .
a.; daggers, there are many specimens, more par
ticuarly among the family Of the RaudH
l and fearful weapons they are, some OF then
C being serrated and barbed, and capable o
It inflcting terrible wounds. Many other fisl
Y are furnished with spines, either upon tn
/. fins or as horns, or IN sharp projections from
the glll.covers.
Il Perhaps one of the most formidable wear
J. ons possessed by any fish is the natural pal
of shears formed by the jaws Of the shark
Il The only similar weapon of offence that cal
be cited, as used by MAI, would perhaps, b
y the spiked portculls. The knout also ha
Il rival in the tail of the thresher or foNsharh
The upper lobe is nearly as long as the bod
l. of the fish, and very muscular. 1t is curve
: like the blade Of scythe In shape, and th
n blows which Il nficts with this living tfai
l. can be heard a! Q great distance. The lass
/. is represented in the foot OF the cephalopod
Il to which nature has also furnished anothe
2. curious weapon OF defence in the shape OF
d bag of black fluid commonly termed the INK
II bag. The cutie, when closely pursued, send
e out 4 cloud Of this substance TO hide hin
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