The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-08
A Humorist on the Fiuny Tribe.

1t is an almost everyday sight to see
boys catching fish, but yet not one lad
in a thousand has ever given thought
to the wonderful construction OF the
finny tribe. At the outset of this subject
it might be remarked that no fish has a
single bone too many. You may think
he has, especially when you have perch
for dinner, hut every little bone was put
there by nature Tor some special purpose.
Take away handful of bones from the
average fish and he would die in less
than u week.
Bones. however, have very little to do
with fish, and great deal less to do
with catching him. Let US draw your
attention to the eyes, in the first place.
They are so placed that the fish can see
bob.tailed steamer coming up the
river, and boy on the Hidge behind
him Mt the same time But for this fact
the boy would either catch him with
dip-net made of an old hoop-skirt. or
the steamer would run over him. By
simple roll of his eye. fish can take in
view from all sides at once, and you
can't pass canoe off on him for n saw
log. If the fish could see only ahead,
his tail would he grabbed at every hour
in the day. Ifhe could see only behind,
he'd have to wear q sheet-iron protector
on his nose. AS it is, he'll dodge stone
from one side and smell Of root on the
other at the same motion.
The mouth of a fish is provided with
strainers called gills. But for this he'd
have stomach full of sawdust all the
year round. Without the gills his mouth
lo hor Of
but with them he keeps his jaws together
and has no opinions to force upon his
fnllow-innies. The gills of fish may
be compared to the nose of a man, even
in color, but most of them area great
deal better set on.
1t was evidently designed by nature
that fish should live under water. This
is why they take on so when hauled out.
strung on a willow and carried around
over boys shoulder. The bladder of
a fish plays an important part in his
whooping around under the surface of a
mill-pond. By sucking in or expelling
air he can rise to The surface to grab
fly. or 90 to the bottom to attend
convention of suckers.
The everyday habits of the fish are
very interesting, and are not generally
known. He is very early riser. You
may think you can get before he does,
but he will be wide awake when you
arrive on the spot. His meals are picked
up from such things as were left over
tile day before, and it is immaterial to
him whether well-cooked mot. No fish
is bound to anv particular rneighborhood,
but has the run Of the entire river or
pond. He is out in all sorts of weather,
and if he comes home wet odds is the
difference. 1t is generally supposed that
fish stands on his head to sleep. At
least none have ever been caught Sleep
ing on their backs. They see by night
as well rs by day, and perhaps little
bet er.
The tail Of fish is not of much ac-
count in the frying g-pan, but it is handy
thing for the fish when sloshing around
in n mill-pond full of old stunlps.
drowned bows and wrecked skifs. His
tail guides his head, and it seldom goes
back on him. Nature calculated that he
would be Hopping his tail against bridge
timbers, stones, old floop-iron and lost
fsh-hooks. and so she made him one
which couldn't be hurt. 1t is simply a
mem brane, without nerves, and could
be cut off without the fish knowing it
until he started to dodge an old root and
run his head into the bank. Fish may
be divided into two classes the fish
which catch boys, like the shark, and
the fish whic.l permit boys to catch
:hem, like the mullet and hnSs. In 60
ing a-fishing always sit on the veranda
, in the shade, if you can, and if you
can't, Jet the fishing go and hang to tho
, veranda. .--Detrott Ftee Press.