The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-04

backboned animals, and the pnsumatic
duct when referred to as q sound prouuoer
is to be compared, as regards Its function,
with the trachea Of birds and milk-givers
Tho loudeEt sound makeris the drum fish,
about which some remarkable stories are
told. Professor Baird. In one Of his ra-
ports, refers to the noises made BY these
fishes when the men were hauling them, IN,
and not q few sailors have been alarmed by
the unusual sounds. some years ago =
and at night the men wore astonished ~
hearing peculiar sounds, apparently coming
from all about them. Some OF the sailors
who were very snspicions thought there
was something wrong about the vcs-
sci. but the captain proved that
by drum fishes. Sir John Richardson statcs
that when off the coast Of Carolina he was
prevented from sleeping by tho noise made
by these fishes, According to some OBJ
server, the tishes produce. the sounds ~
striking the tails against the bottom OF the
clapping their teeth together.
Many OF the sounds. produced By tshes
in various ways, are undoubtedly involun-
tary. Az suggested, some are cauaed by
the pneumntio duct and swimming bladder,
while others are produced By the lips or
The swimning bladder OF fishes OF the
genus trigla and zeus has a diaphragm
and muscles for opening and closing it,
and PROBABLY produces the low murnluring
sound heard in theae fishes. The attrac-
tive and curious little sea horse, or hippo-
campus, produces low sounds which are
supposed to be due to tho vibration OF Ger
tain small voluntary muscles. Tbs catfish
also makes a gentle humming sound. while
the club sucker utterS \ single sound.
followed by a discharge of air bubbles.
Aristotle mentions 4 fish BY the name OF
< - -. 49, IL. k1rH 49, a .S1,A~ iva AtIA.
Mediterranean, and as being N Of the
fishes that have the power OF producing
sounds. During a visit to the north coast
Of Ceylon, DR.. Emerson Tennent heard
wonderful accounts Of musical sounds
that we're said to proceed from the bottom
of a lake. and while upon the lake one
calm night he distinctly heard the sounds,
which. he says, came up from the water
like the gentle thrills of a musical chord
or tho faint vibrations OF a wine glass
when its rim is rubbed by II wet finger It
was not ono sustained note, but a number
of tiny sounds. each clear and distinct in
itself.
The sound of a bell. occasionally heard
from the depths of the Mediterranean sea,
is thought by some to be due to the corvo.
or crawtish. of the Italians, though others
attribute the curious sounds to shelly mol
luaks.
Liout. John White, an English officer.
oe0e0o sho uAAAR soIoSo W. OA'A4os $500
his vessel was anchored at the mouth of the
River Camboya. the sailors were greatly
astOnlshed to hear curious sounds issuing
from the water, which were described as re-
sembling the bass of an organ, the olang-
ing OF bells. and the twaneing Of d gigantic
harp. The sounds, which continued for n
number of hours and swslled into a chorus
or both sides of the ship, were attributed
to a school of fish in the vicinity. Baron
Won Humboldt has recorded a similar oc-
currence in the South sen. Early in the
evening the sailors We're greatly disturbed
and terrified by a noise like the beating of
tambourines, followed by sounds resembling
the escape Of air from boiling liquid, which
apparently came from the ship. These ex-
traordinary sounds, caused by a school Of
fish, lasted for ten hours.
1t is difficult to determine whether fishes
have a vocal communications; but nearly
one hundred species have been heard to
utter audible sounds when out of the water,
this undoubtedly being a small proportion
of the inny sound producers.
@. +. HOLDER.
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