The state herald., 1891-10-23
FRIENDS OF THE FISHES.
SMALL FRY WHO ACT AZ PiLoTs
AND DEcOYS.
Sharks. Grabs. and Other Fish Arc 40.
sompAnlsd by Rctalnsrs who
Forage for Food In Return
IN for PrOteotion.

slzssiH bOr ffOteotlon.
II Is a popular belief among many
seafarers that the shark depends TO n
greater or less extent upon the pilot
fish for information. and is guided by
this little attendant TO the various It'd.
bits that come in Its way. How much
truth is in this II would he difficult to
determine. but 1t is barely possible
that the curiosity OF the sharl, may be-
attracted to food by the action OF the
pilot fishes.
Once when sitting In my boat fishing,
says writer In the Cincinnati Week
ly Times, noticed the scythe-l like fin
OF large shark moving about in the
vicinity. 1t had evidently scented "a
bunch Of fish which l had hung over
the stern and came up the tide or cur.
rent in rapidly Decreasing circles.
threw small line out astern baited
with u large sardine. This was taken
and the line broken with a steady.
dignified strain. But the shark still
came on, its temper unrutiled by tho
sharp barb in Its jaw. and wheeled
about the boat with Its head slightly
tipped. showing the ugly, hnnmer-li like
protuberances ON either side. II passed
so near that could have touched the
big dorsal fin, and had excellent op-
portunity to notice the actions OF tho
attendants There wero half dozen
in all; two or three big pilot. fishes
md the rest the curious sucking
fishes or remoras. AS the shark
swept around. the pilots-little
striped fellows three or four inches
long-kept at its head, making short
excursions from II at every object that
appeared like food. They were evi.
IDENTIFY foraging on their own account
and that the shark saw them there can
DO but little doubt But in all proba.
bility, 1t had scented tho fish long
time before and paid no attention to
the so-called pilot fishes. They would
dart at a bit Of sea-weed and nibble at
1t, perhaps catching II minute crusta-
cean that had been floating with IT,
then dariing. back TO their huge con-
sort that was wheeling around and
around. wondering where the fish were,
which had as precautionary meas
ure lifted into tho boat.
II appearances aro to be considered,
then certainly the sea anemones must
bo included among the pilots. rs there
is one, II not several kinds that in
some incomprehcnsible way takes up
its position on the tip-top OF crab
back and there lives. moving about
with its host and we can imagine
keeping its myriad eyes open for the
main chance; but that 1t tells what 1t
sees TO tho crab that is thus forced TO
bear 1t we may readily doubt Why
the anemone takes this position. and
why the crab permits IT, opens up II
wide field for speculation.
The anemone Is tho natural food for
II largo number OF fishes. Capt Bart
lett the commander OF the ship Blake
in her dredging trip in the caribbean
sea, told me that he drcdged large
number OF cod in very deep water,
where II was very cold. and that al
most every one caught had a large sea
anemonc in Its month. Looking at II
In this light the crab might object to
tenant that was liable 10 be gob,led
up nt any moment as large fish would
not in all probability, object TO ane-
none with good plump crab at the
other end. TN the other hand II il
possible that the anemonc may attract
small fry. and So nc, as a de.
coy. the crab lying buried In tho
sand and dnrting up 10 seize tho
intruder. Various suggestions have
been made 10 account for tho
association but the real reason
Is not known. and must leave II 10 my
young readers TO decide In this case
which il the pilot the crab or the
anemonc. II might bo said that the
position OF the anemone was entirely
accidental were 1t not found on so
many individuals. and some expert.
ments have been made with another
crab and anemone which show that
the attachment at lenst In this instance
Is on the side OF the crab. The one in
question was found 10 bear an rne.
none. not on Its back. but on one OF
its big claws. so that when feeding
and tearing It's prey the anemonc was
brought into tho direct neighborhood
OF the food and obtained Its share;
In fact when the crab dined IL wns
Invariably present A naturalist who
made the discovery thought that
it was merely on accidental occur
renee, but nearly all tho crabs which
he found Ind their ancmone compnn-
ions One day he took several crab,
and carefully removed tho nnemones.
but leaving them all In the tank to.
gethcr. Visiting them n short time
after. he found tina, in eyery case the
crab had hunted around and replaced
the ancmone. Next an ancmonc was
cut In a number OF pieces after being
separated from the crab and placed
with Il in n tank whcrcupon tho
crustacean collected the remnants OF
Its companion and endcavorod To fasien
them upon It's claw and was holding
them fast when found So II Is eyi.
dent In this case that while tho nne.
none may be tho pilot or lookout the
crab Is the one ihn, mos, desires the
association.