The Nevada picayune., 1885-05-21
Miles Undcr SeG.

AaAy curlous forms oi hSnes have recently been found ill the deep sea, says cotemporary. One fish, dredged from depth of near ly three miles from the surface, shows complete modification of structure. It is estimated that this fish has to contend against pres. ure equal to two and onr-half tohs to every square ipcL of surface. A sealed glass tube, inclosed in a per- fora.ed copper covering, has at two miles been reduced to fine powder, while the metal was twist ed out of shape. Yet the fishes arc so constructed that they with. stand the pressure. Their bony and muscular system are not fully developed; the bones are perm eat. ed with pores and Assures. The calcareous matter is at minimum and the bones of tue vcrtebrn are joined together so loosely that in lifting the larger fish out of the water they often fall apart. The muscles are all thir, and yet the connective tissue scems almost wanting. Yet these fishes are able to dart about and capture prey.
 Sunlight penetrates about twelve hundred feet below the surface of the sea. At three thousand feet the temperature lowers to forty de. grees Fahrenheit, and from about tho same, the world over-just above freezing. How do the fish es and other forms hero seci Their eyes are modified ss well as their other parts, The fishes that live five hundred 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 a zone below this many forms with small eyes begin to have tentacles, feelers, or organs of touch. Many of these deep sea fishes have special organs or their sides and heads that are known to possess luminous quality. 9th CT organs are considered aocesso- ry eyes, so that the fishes have rows of eyes on their ventral sur faces looking downward, whil e near are luminous spots that pro- provide them with light. 0ne oi the largest of these deep sea torch bearers is a fish six feet long, with q tail, dorset fin extending nearly the entirely length of the body. The tips of this fin are luminous. and also a broad patch on it's head Along tho side of the body are a double row of luminous spots.
 One of the most fcrocious of these deep sea forms is the chanli- bus. Its mouth is fairly overflow. ing with teeth, that protrude in a borbiddins manner. The fins are all tipped with flaming spots, while along the dOrsal surface extends s row cf spots that appear like so many windows in the fish, througl, which ligh. in shining. The little fishes, Bombay ducks, are lumi- nous over their entire surfa ce, and when numbers arc collected to. gether they present an astonishing spectcale. One of the most inter esting of these light givers, is the chiasmodus, fish attaining @ length of only thirteen inches. The top of it's head is tIe principal lisht-giving organ, and its fins gleam with phosphor escent hght. It is not alone remarkable as a light-giver; it has jaw so arrang' ed that it can seize fish twice its size, and easily swallow them, Itc stomach has the elastic quality of India rubber. It stretches to enormous proportions, and appears like a great transparent balloon hanging under tie fish and con taining it's prey.