Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-10-29
PECULIAR SHOWERS.

Interesting Conclusions Reached by an Of
fcer of the U. s. Fish Commission.
On the 14th of June last the people
OF Harvard, town in Clay County,
Nebraska, were startled by a rain
storm, which was accompanied by a
fall of fishes, apparently from the sky.
These fishes, which were alive, fell in
large quantities. Many of them were
picked up by residents of the place and
preserved in aquaria or in alcohol.
Mr.. May, Fish Commissioner of the
State of Nebraska, happening to be in
the neighborhood of Harvard, secured
some of the fishes, and as he had bust
ness with Prof. Baird in this city,
brought the fish with him to Washing
ton for the purpose of having their
identity fixed. A reporter inspected
the fish recently in DR.. Tarleton III.
Bean s laboratory next the Smithsonian.
There were half dozen young fish,
about an inch and half in length each,
preserved in alcohol.
I'VE often hear of its raining fishes"
said DIR. Bean, as the reporter examined
the bottle containing the fishes, "this
is a case about which there is no doubt,
and which proves that the story about
showers of fish are not mythical.
am glad that we have had opportunity,
not only to prove the fact that fishes
are rained down, but to investigate and
explain what appears to be out of the
natural order of things. These fish
prove to be a common species of
that region-the fat head or black
head minnow. How did they come
to fall from the clouds. The
explanation is simple. They had been
taken up from a stream or pond by
Cyclone action and carried through the
air until the force of gravity, or the
rain storm overcame the lateral mo-
ton and they descended with the rain
to the ground. AS the fish were alive
it is probable that they came from a
stream near town. A cyclone, though,
would take quantity of water up in a
mass, and the fish might be carried
some distance alive. These minnows
are hardy, and can live under most
precarious circumstances. They live
in sluggish streams and have been
found in water having large percent
age of salt. We had one th3 came
from an artesian well, so they probably
adapt themselves to subterranean
streams. In fact they seem to adapt
themselves to almost any conditions,
and hence it is not surprising that they
have a very wide range, or distribu-
ton.
This theory of cyclone action, :"
continued the DOCTOR ''eXplains the
distribution of some species of fish
over regions sometimes separated by
natural obstacles, and which can not
easily be accounted for otherwise.
The young fish are carried through the
air and deposited into other streams.
This theory is more important when
we consider that many regions which
have no cyclone action now may have
had it at earlier periods. Fish of eX-
actly the same species will be found in
places far distant from each other.
The long nose sucker common here is
found in Alaska. The round white
fish or shadwaiter of the New
Hampshire lakes is found in the
Yukon river in Alaska, and also in the
Island of Kadlak, sixty miles from the
shore. The little fish known as silver
sides. the brook silversides, has been
known for years in the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi valleys. Lately it has been
found in North Carolina and Florids
In an entirely different water system
separated by a mountain chain from its
original habitat. Other instances of &
similar character could be mentioned
and need an explanation, which is
afforded by the now established fac
that fishes are transported by cyclones
Might not the cyclone be a valuable
auxiliary to the fish commission con
tinued DR.. Bean, with smile, repeat
ing the question of the reporter
"Well, l am afraid it would be like &
bull in a china shop. If we could only
harness the cyclone, now, it might bt
of some service. 1t is a wonder tina
this theory of cyclone action as ar
agent in the distribution of species ha,
not received more attention. 1t ha,
scarcely been mentioned, except by DR.
Stearns."
DIR. Robert f. c. Stearns, in a paper
on fossil shells of the Colorado. desert
in mentioning agencies and methods
of distribution, spoke of tornaaoes anC
waterspouts acting as distributing
agents, taking ~ the waters of lake.
and streams and transporting then
with their contents great many miles
Washington Star.
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