The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-04-10
WHENCE FISHES CoLoRS COME.
Why They Are the Most Decorative O
Animals In This World.

WHcNSc fiSrCS SOIOHo SO"S.
Why They Are the Most Decorative Of
Animals In This World.
There are lots of funny things to be
told about fish scales, said n naturalist
the other day To a writer for the Wash
ington Star. THE surface of the scales
ordinarily is covered with a thin. silver
coating, which derives its brilliant me-
tallic luster from the presence of many
crystals composed of lime and sub
stance known as 'guanin-' This coat
ing is easily rubbed off, and in one sort
of European carp, called the bleak,
the crystals are 80 numerous that me-
tallic pigment is derived from them,
known in the arts as argentine. which
is used 10 impart luster to the glass
globuleS sold under the name of Roman
pearls When the silver coating IL an
sent the scales of "A fish are lusterless
and transparent as in the ease OF the
smelt. the abdominal cavity of which
however. has a brilliant, silvery inning
composed of the same substance
Every one knows from observation
that the fishes of the world are the most
gorgeous of animals in point of color
ing. The colors they exhibit are often
due TO n simple arrangement of pig
ment cells. but the brilliant and change
able hues which constitute the great
est beauty of these creatures, are de-
rived from two causes very wide apart
An illustration of one of these may be
observed in the scales of the herring,
shad or mackerel, being true lrldes-
cence, similar to that seen in the pearl
and due to the refraction of the rays OF
light as they glance off the surfaces OF
the thin plates of which the scales are
composed More frequently, however,
the coloration is dependent ON the ar
rangement of the pigment cells that are
in the lower layers of the outer skin of
the fish.
In fish. when the black pigment
predominateS. the color Il Somhcr, as III
the adult tautog. \ slight admlXture
of yellow gives the bronzc-lile hue TO
the eel and little more of the same,
if You please. results in the brighter
green of the black bass and the blue
fish. Red pigments intermiXcd with
black give the dingy brown of the
carp and some of the cattiShes. When
the yellow and red outnumbcr the black
cells there result the tawny colorS Of
the suntiShcS. the cuSllS and of some
varieties of the cod. Red pigment cells
in the lower strata of the outer skin
alone cause the brilliant scarlet OF the
rod snapDcr and the roSCfiNh. and when
these are intcrspcrSed with black the
deeper colOrN of the mangrovc snapper
and the ruddy variety Of the sea raven
result When the pigment cells gather
into separate groups according to color.
bands. stripes. spots and ShadingS. inti-
mite in their variety. are found.
In fish. a. in other animals. albinoes
occur. Very curious are the albino
haddoclS occasionally taken ON our
coasts. The same phenomenon Is also
observed in founders. carp and eclS. In
the depths of the sea, where light II
scanty, many fishes appear To remain
permanently alhinocs.
Fishes very commonly change their
colors 70 harmonizc with the bottoms on
which they live. for the sake of conceal
ment This il accomplished 10y the
special secretion of the proper pig
mcntS. On certain lodges along the
New England shore the rocks arc COW
cred with dense growths of scarlet and
crimson scawccd. and the fishes which
frequent their neighbour ood become
tinted accordingly. II has been sug-
gcstcd, 10y the way, that the pink of the
salmon's flesh is due To the absorption
of the coloring matter of the crusta-
cCaus they feed upon. Probably the
brilliant coloration of many kinds of
fishes is designed by nature to attract
the opposite sex, as the beauty of 4
peacocl<'s tail il intended for the same
purpose. Fear or other emotions will
often change the colors of fishes rap
idly.
1T is in tropical seas that the most
brilliantly colored and beautiful fishes
of the world are to be found. Warmth
and light are favorable To brilliancy
and variety of hues always. The fishes
of the polar regions and those living at
considerable depth are usually SOM
Der, and when you get down To the
lark abysses of the ocean they are all
black"