The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-31

his. powerful tail. throwing up the sand
and mua' but All Co no purpose several
p-lnAs were nos placed against the
breakwater. the line passed through 90
twenty OF thirty men on the sea wan. I'M
tereste4 looEers-Qn, Who ar the word,
walked away, hauling Tie Struggling,
slNifl ming captive zap the incline on tue
dis -llns fence Here cut OUT TIE NOOK,
ana WIN splash the huge creature zen
lAto his prison ana dashed away ln o vain
non tlar he was free.
Down the ditch be went st-rrlng up the
mud ana Tightening the small Try sadly,
turning upon reaching the end, and rae
ms up and down several times before At
re allied that be was trapped and con-
nued within certain limitations.
For week we did not trouble the shark
with our attentions. He had then be-
come familiar with his prison. and swan
along the side OF the brick wall, MS pOdy
turned slightly upward one eye showing
NlciouslE with glimpse OF his White un-
DER surface. oar nrst advance was 70 teed
min, and a fine snapper was thrown IN
'front.' Of his nose. but the confined man
tdter paid not the slightest attention TO
Il. Al first he seemed alarmed at our
presence, and dashed away To the center
OF the ditch. but finally ne seemed 10
become accustomed 10 u.s. and would swim
1l9he as We ran 10y nus side, ana l4teE
did not object TO being gently touched
But the shark would not eat. and so
far as we knew. in the six months during
which we claimed him as a pet. ne never
touched q mOrsel Like grim sentinel
he swan, night and day, around his
prison, in the same position, one eye look
ing up AT those who followed him, and
beyond accepting our near proximity, ne
never eNhiMted any interest IN us OF
his surroundings
We attempted to harness him to
small boat, but to this he vigorously OBJ
Jected SIX months after his capture the
pet shark was one morning found dead.
one of the most intelligent fishes 1 ever
possessed was common fresh water sun
Hsn. Il was given 10 me by an aquarlan
dealer VINO said that IL was so vicious that
d. fought every fish that was placed In the
tank with IT, / found this TO be true, as
transferring the puguaciOus sunhsh TO my
aquarium, il Immediately attacked several
three-tailed Japanese fishes several times
larger than itself, routed the doughty
suckleback, and would have undoubtedly
Killed every living thing in the tank had
l not placed il in solitary confinement
where it spent its time i'm charging at its
own shadow, becoming greatly excited at
its own image in the glass. This nsh be
came very tame and ate from my hand,
but when 1t became Initiated ii would
charge my fingers and endeavOred TO bite
me, all the time affecting feroclous APP
pearauce, erecting its dorsal fine and ak
pandlng its gill covers.
The activity of this fish in repelling all
advances made from whatsoever quarter
resulted In some amusing experiences. A
pet cat who had earned a reputation as
successful mOuser caught sight OF the FISH
one day and. bounding into the window in
which the aquarium Stood she was soon
balanced on the rim Of the tank with her
larger moustaches temptingly near the
water, her big eyes eagerly watching the
fish with fins expanded, its tints of blue,
green and red flashing gally as IL dashed
this way and that in a high state of rage
at the intrusion.
The cat watched for some time. then,
seeing that the strange creature was NOV
ing about i'm water and perhaps feeling
thirsty she began TO lap up the cool
liquid. The instant her red tongue en-
tered the water the fish charged, and that
the delicate little teeth that lined the
slender jaws closed upon IL was assumed
from the wall of anguish that rose from
puss, who, utterly routed and democrat
lied. lost her balance and fell partly into
the tank. from which she hastily scram-
bled rusing from the room with tail In
the FISH, far from being frightened, swan
about evidently in high state of exalta-
ton.
Two of the most interesting Of the fnny
pets were a pair of paradise fishes, beau
tiful long-hnned creatures from India,
which, at first wild, became very tame
That ii is possible for a fish to have eX-
preston was Illustrated IN many of their
actions. They were constantly in motion,
passing each other saluting by opening
wide their gill-covers to the bright red
was plainly seen. The long, graceful fins
We're held erect for the moment, then
dropped, completely changing the appear
ance of the fish and giving the impress
sion that IL was saluting its companion
as it passed
These fishes formed fairy-lil1e nest of
bubbles, which soon became a floating
raft on eighth of an inch above the sur
face. on the lower portion of which the
young made a home until they were large
enough to care for themselves.
The experience with these and many
more finny pets was sufficient to show
that even the generally believed stupid
| fishes were susceptible to kind treatment
and friendly advances.