Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-06-13
MILES UNDER THE SEA.

The New York Sun says: Many curious
forms of fishes have recently been found in
the deep sea- One fish, dredged from a
| depth of nearly three miles from the surface,
shows complete modification of structure.
At this distance from the surface the pres
sure can hardly be realized. 1t is estimated
| that this fish has to contend against pres
| sure equal to two and a-half tons to every
square inch of surface. A sealed glass tube,
! inclosed in perforated copper covering,
| has at two miles been reduced to fine pow
| der. while the metal was twisted out of
shape Yet the fishes arc so constructed
that they withstand the pressure. Their
| bony and muscular systems arc not fully
developed; the bones are permeated with
pores and fissures. The calcareous matter
| is at q minimum, and the bones of the verte-
| br;e are joined together so loosely that in
lifting tho larger fishes out Of the water they
| often fall apart. The muscles are all thin,
and the connective tissue seems almost
| wanting. Yet these fishes are able to dart
about and capture prey.
| Sunlight penetrates only about 1,200 feet
| below the surface of the sea- At 5000
| feet the temperature lowers to 10 degrees
Fahrenheit, and from about q mile from
| the surface TO the bottom, four or five
miles. the temperature is about the same
| the world over Just above freezing
How do the fishes and other forms that live
here see? Their eyes are modified as well
as their other parts. The fishes that live
| 500 feet from the surface have larger eyes
| than those in the zone above them, so that
| they can absorb the faint rays that reach
them. In the zone below this, many forms
with small eyes, begin to have curious
| tentacles, feelers, or organs of touch. Many
of these deep-sea fishes have special organs
| upon their sides and heads that are known
to possess aluminous quality. Other organs
are considered accessory eyes, so that the
| fishes have rows Of eyes upon their Vcntral
surfaces looking, downward: while near arc
luminous spots that provide them with light.
One of the largest OF these deep.sea torch
| bearers, is fish six feet long with tall
dorsal fin extending nearly the entire length
| of the body. The tips of the fin are lumin-
GUS, and also broad patch upon its head.
| Along the sides of the body are double
row of luminous spots One of the most
ferocious of these deep-sea forms is the
chanliodus. Its mouth is fairly overfowing
with teeth, that protrude in a most forbid
ding manner. The fins are all tipped with
| flaming spots, while along the dorsal sur
face extends a row of spots that appear
/ like so many windows In the hsn, through
which light is shining.
The little fishes called Bombay ducks are lumi-
nous over their entire surface, and when numbers
are collected together they present an astonishing
spectacle. One of tho most interesting of these
light givers is tho chiasmodus, fish that attains
| length Of only thirteen inches. Tho top Of its
b ad is the principal light giving organ, and It's
| fins glcam with phosphorescent light. 1t is not
| alone remarkable light-giver. 1t has jaws so
arranged that it can seize fish twice its size and
easily swallow them. Its stomach has tho elastic
| quality of India rubber 1t stretches to enor-
NOUS proportions, and appears like great trans
| parent balloon hanging under the fish and con-
tanning its prey.
The last expedition sent out by France brought
| to light somo remarkable forms. The dredge of
Morocco brought up from a depth of ovor y
| miles fish that appeared to bc all head or mouth
1t WAS of small size, and the length Of tho mouth
was about four-ffths of the entire body, so that
! if the body had been severed behind the head, it
| and two or three like it could have been slowed
| away in the capacious pouch. 1t probably moves
very slowly, scooping mud and oozc into its
mouth, sitting out the animal parts and rejecting
| the rest.