New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-29
STRAYGE THINGS FROM THE SEA.
MUSEUM IN FULTON MARKET WITH THE OLDEST
OF COLLECTIONS.


OF COLLECTIONS.
There is something going on in Fulton Mar
ket all the time. When some of the marketmen OF
uneasy temperament not trying spread the cholera
by selling the unripe apple Matching schemes for dis
posing of overad eggs they starting laboratories
anayzng food selling fish eggs for gooseberries
peerng into the habits OF the wayward toInc0d They
always busy in the interests OF agriculture pscicu
ture, and every other kind of culture. They have
laboratory there other things where the analyze
the contents OF the stomachs OF all the fish that
into the market The laboratory is always as full Of
fish somachs egg Is OF meat. Ut is question
whether the prospect of having their ntestnes taken
out has not had more to do than the sudge acid in
making the fish scarce In the bay. The investigate
in the laboratory have opened up fields of inquiry
It was known before these analyses were made
that fish all partial TO trade dollars sIspender
buckles This discovery shows that trade dollar with
q hole II strung hook-the dollar not the hole
makes fascinating bait and saves is cents every
dollar thus invested.
But Fulton Market was not content with laboratory
only and addition well innovation mas been
made recently by the founding OF museum The
has been informally open TO the public PbOut month
and has been visited by OF the nobility who have
passed through the city and by few friends Of the pro-
gcuitors
At the request Of Tribune reporter. f. G. Blsckford
the proprietor OF the museum escorted HIM through
the labyrinth OF curiOsities explaining each and every
one. Tho museum is the southeast corner Of the
market and mands inspiring view OF the Belt Line
surface road and Fulton Ferry. The view from the
windows at sunset shows the erry-house standing out
In bold relief against brck-red sky, AMI makes 1t look
more ruins OF haunted castle that had been
struck by lightning than unfamiliar with the
would readily suppose The view OF the Belt Line
this time is exceedingly picturesque, especially when
the rails are covered with coating OF mud and water
not more feet deep one look AT this and
easily imagine It be lovely lake laden with lilies
and mermads.
The interior Of the museum s fitted up in large black
walnut bookcase. ON the shelves OF this are the
curiosities
"Thi-." said Mr. Backfori. az he handed down an IN
describable looking thing. "is dactylopterus
yolitans'" II looked every inch OF H.
And this" he continued, he grabbed another curl
osity that might easily hare been mistaken for a
Welsh rsrebt prairie dog. e Is an guana observ
it, goatee. Ihe Ichhyophagous club tried 10 imPor.
lot OF them their annual dinner, but failed The
make n good Sew hey
whats thisI" asked the reporter. holding up queer
loo king fish that had Driars all ITS stomach sharp
That" replied the proprietor, is rabbit fish caught
on southern coast OF jersey IL has teeth hike
Ia RABBIT hence It's name: IL wouldn't be bad thing
to scratch your back with.
And here's .Puner that was caught of the south
Where did you get these fish"
on, I've been collecting them for years. Some OF
them are only plaster casts, others are stuffed had
them in my house in Brooklyn. until short time ago. IL
occurred TO me that this would be better place Tor
them they accumulated fast some Of them very
rare specimens Here's an odd thing. It's what Is
called a trgger-hsh from Bermuda IL has three
spnes In front OF the dorsa I'M and the third one is
inch long The latter the trigger II you press on II 1t
the first spine drop back. There's no explosion
Is this h.h' asked the reporter calling attention
no" said Mr. Blackford. that's not fish; it's a
kind ~ tarkle with which the natives OF Alaska catch
haiibut IL looks something like emon-sdueeZer with
nil In he nd toward ;
denceS of art on it-that's carving The South side
people would have good time catching trout with that
wouldn't heyi There are evidences on OF having been
severity chewed by haibut-or else my boy has been
trying TO improve II by whiting II.
Here's land crab from Bermuda They say they
find them around grave yards, so you can perhaps
These are mammoth oyster shells from Calcutta.
They are big enough TO be used bath-tubs.
Here's bottle nosed dolphin and THIS is parrot
FISH, This Is pleasant looking thing; IT'S hammer
head shark near II thrssherta shark with tail as
long as his body. Both OF them are unpleasant things
to meet while bathing. Here's an ange-hsn; behold It's
god-tntcd wings. That's choice specimen and is
WHAT under the sun is thati' asked the reporter
pointing TO a formidable looking thing in the show
That's porcupins nsb. They're very common.
looking thing near it Is West Indian lobster. what
salad he'd make This thing with two horns Is a
It's all head except the tail part and that moves IN
socket like ruddcr. go
was brought here That's the cast OF the largest
pompano caught in American waters II weighed
twenty seven and half pounds. Here's something to
look AT also This is the of the largest brook trout
ever caught here. LIS weight was eleven and a haif
pounds" MI.
Did Won ever any gob gerina 7" asked Mr.. Black
ford as he led the way toward the ier0Sop"
swell" said Mr. Backrord, nero are some Adjust
vour eve 10 that microscope and yOan some They
were taken In 200 fathOms OF water by the United
states Fish Commission steamer Albatross r..,..o.
What are they Q" asked the reporter OF Professor
Rice who hal lust dropped In 10 analyze fish stomach
They are" said he. small forinless animals repre-
sened by of protopasm which send on parts OF
that protopasm =" - -,
on YES" interrupted Mr.. Blackford and the re-
porter simultaneously, you've got II. We know ali
about IL now" -,
Nv this time the Investigations the contents OF the
fish stonachs had proceeded far enough To make Tue
visitors desire a purer atmosphere so the meeting
adjourned