Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-05-12
Amphfbieus Fishes.

Amphfbieus Fishes.
Several genera of fishes have am
phibi0us characteristics. A fish found
In CoylOn is often seen ont of water, and
when the pool in which they live be-
comes shallow, the fish burrow in the
mud, working their way downward
sometimes to q depth Of four feet. 1t the
drought penetrates them there, they
wrigole to the surface again, and In q
body move into the-woods in search OF
water, and by some peculiar instinct
they generally travel in the right direc-
tion. BY the aid OF the grass they are
enabled to keep an upright position,
slowly moving along by means OF the
pectoral fms, that in this family are very
strong and long. Some jump and use the
tail, but the general motion is bya back
ward and forward movement of the fins.
Not alone for walking is the lovas IA
nous. It builds nest of leaves, care
fully deposits its eggs in it, watching
them until they are Matched, and then
guarding them with devotion rarely
seen in higher animals, and certainly
not expected in fish.
That certain fishes were inclined to
live on shore was well known to the an
clients, and Theophrastus is supposed to
be the author of work entitled "Fishes
that Lived on Dry Land" He says that
in India certain little fishes resembling
the mullet leave the rivers for time and
return to them again. Although COM
mentary on this treatise was published
in 1865 at Naples by Severinus, it was
not properly understood until 1877,
when N. Da1dorf communicated to the
Linnman Society his observations on the
tree-climber (Anabas scaadeus), one of
which he had himself captured as it was
ascending palm tree that grew near
pond. The object of tie fish in making
this ascent is said to have been to reach
q small reservoir of rain water collected
in the axis of the leaves, and full OF in
sects. This faculty OF climbing has been
vouched for by some other observers,
and denied by several. DR.. Cantor says
that in the Malay countries the anabas
is eaten by the poorer classes, who do
not attribute to it either the medicinal
qualities or the climbing propensities
for which it is celebrated in Bengal. 1t
can live long, however, out Of water,
and is frequently sent in dry vessel
from the marshes of Jazor to Calcutta,
a journey of several days, which it sur
wives.
A curious fish in the Amazon has a
habit of descending into the mud at the
approach of the dry season, and rolling
itself in it finally encases itself in ball
of mud perfectly tight, except at the end
opposite the mouth, where a small orr
foe is left for the animal to breathe
through. TO test their power of living
under such circumstances, Brazilian
scientist packed dozen of these !" fish
balls' in a trunk, and sent them to a
friend in France. The vessel was thirty
days on the passage, and forty five days
after the recipient of the entombed fishes
received them, according to accompany
ing Instructions, he treated the cakes to
a warm bath. The mud slowly dissolved,
and in a short time the inhabitants shook
off thu remaining dirt and swan off as
lively as possible, much to the astonish-
ment of the gentleman.
Most of the South American fishes
that burrow in the mud, and thus pass
the dry season, as well as number of
others, have curious habit that is not
generally known, and perhaps would be
disoredited If it was not well substanti-
ated. :. 1t is that they carry their eggs
and young in their mouth. They not
only pick up their young when alarmed
in their capacious jaws, but the eggs,
probably Immediately after they are de-
posted, are taken in, and the young are
seen in the bottom of the mouth, be-
tween the gills, passing in and out in all
stages, from the egg to quite good-sized
young. The natives of South America
accredit the gigantic herring, the
Nruyssca, with this protective habit, but
in the fish that are related to our cat
fish it is the most noticeable. Prof.
Agassiz observed them en- his visit to
Brazil, and in letter to a friend says:
ssThus I have observed species of
geophagus in which the male has very
conspicuous protuberance on the fore
head, wholly wanting in the female and
the young. This same fish has q most
extraordinary mode of reproduction.
The eggs pass, know not how, into the
mouth, the bottom Of which is lined
with them, between the inner append
aoes of the branchial arches, and especi-
ally into pouch, formed by the upper
pharyngeals, which they completely fill.
There they are Matched, and the little
ones, freed from the egg case, are devel-
oped until they are in condition to pro-
vide for their own existence. do not
vet know how long this continues, but
have already met with specimens whose
young had no longer any vitelline sac,
but were still harbored by the progeni-
tor. Occasionally, instead Of eggs, I
have found the cavity of the gills, as also
tho snace inclosed bv the branchiostapa1
membrane, filled with brood of young
already Matched. The eggs, before
Matching, are always found in the same
part of the mouth, namely, in the upper
part of the branchial arches, protected
or held together by a special lobe or
valve, formed of the upper pharyngeals.
The cavity thus occupied by the eggs
corresponds exactly to the labyrinth OF
that curious family Of fishes inhabiting
the East Indian Ocean, called Lady,
rinthici by Cnvier. This circumstance
induces me to believe that the branchial
labyrinth of the Eastern fishes may be a