Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-12-13
SOME QUEER FISHES.
DcnizcnS OF the Deep With Strange
rcculiarittes

DcnizcnS OF the Deep With Strange
rccullarttcs
When Lieut.. naldorf, OF the Dutch
East India service, reported to Sir
Joseph Banks that he had caught n
fish on the stem OF n palm tree five
feet above the ground. aud Still mount.
ing upwards, even Sir Joscphs nc
ceptancc OF his tale did not preserve
that officer from an outhurst OF uni
vcrSal mockcry.
II was asked, with reason, what on
earth the fish expected 10 nud useful
for It's purposes nj the top OF palm
tree? The earliest reporter of this fact,
says the Boston Globe, Ahouaryd, who
wrote IN the ninth century, had sur
ticlrnt explanations He was not
bothered with science. The creature
went up to feed on fruit, and whom
satisfied 1t returned to the water hut
this would not do for the savants.
even hundred years ago
They pointed out that prrcha scan.
drns lives on water insects. that II
could not and would not cat fruit,
and that if its fins and gill covers he
SO framed that II might possibly climb
Il tree, they are SO framed also that
II could not make even IN effort to
descend. Their objections are not vet
answered, nor. so far rs we are aware,
has any fish since been caught i've
feet above the ground. But the habit
of climbing Is admitted whatever the
motive.
In fact, the Cingulcsc cover their
fish traps with n netting because, M
they explained to Mr.. IAynrd some
species would creep up the poles and
escape over the side A few hours
sojourn In almost any tropic realm viii
convince the stranger that fish can
climb, If he spend them on the banks
Of Il tidal river
The funny little mud fish scurry and
paddle there all day long. mounting
TO the top of the rocks, however
smooth running Up and down the
mangrove roots as active almost ms
lizards Not least curious OF their pc
culiaritIcs Is the trick of running over
the surface OF the water for II dis.
lance which seems bounded only by
their inclination.
As for fish that live In the woods
barring cXaggeratlon they also
abound. The moraGhung OF B0ctan IL
most famous. 1t IL never caught In
rivers or even In standing ponds,
Ia hI
Ing places always communicate with
water. so that 1t can return to Its "nn
tive element when so disposed.
However that may be, they are
caught, not by hook or net, but by the
spade, and they are worth some dig
cling two feet long, perhaps, dlspro,
portonately thick, and always In
pairs. Plenty Of other species are
taken IN the same way during the hot
mouths, and plenty more divert them
selves with stroll on dry land occa-
sionally. Sir X. Schombcrg saw no
groes going out to fish in the jungles
Of Guiana with nothing but n basket
or two, and they brought back as
many as they could carry.
Sir John Bowring constantly OBJ
served the fish 90 ashore and lose
themselves among the trees" upon
the Sinmese river Menam. Mr.. Nor
ris was inspecting u leaking tank by
yrlncomalee when heavy rain came
on. His man suddenly raised n shout
and galloped up knoll" the far side
Of which-that distant from the tank
proved to be alive with fish climbing
upward at prodiglous speed; we are
to suppose that they had left the pool
when the water escaped, but FASTENED
to return, knowing that the rain would
refill It.
AS for burrowing fishes they are
numberless. We have grave report
OF one species found 10 feet below the
surface OF field. II Is not necessary I
are dug up six feet or more below the
river bed when 1t Is dry. SO common
IL this excavating In Ceylon that an
Ingenious magistrate was enabled to
decide question OF landmarks which
seemed hopeless by taking advantage
Of It.
One native accused another % di.
yerting the course OF a stream which
was the ancient boundary Of their re-
spectiye lands, thus securing strip
which did not belong TO him. There
was evidence on both sides, OF course.
The magistrate invited plaintiff to
point out the original channel, and
now dry ground, and there he dug.
At the proper depth fish were found
-corpses. naturally; for It Is not al
eyed that these odd creatures can live