The Portland daily press., 1896-05-16
QUEER SEA FISH.
Interesting Specimens in the Fish Com.
missions Aquaria.


The Different Metho DIS of Self-Protection
"A Valuable Collection.
Washington Starr
We are only occasionally able to pene-
trate the reserve winch that old salt Mop
tune throws round the creatures In his
domain, and under the most favorable
circumstances we can get but vague
notion Of the manner in which the affairs
of his realm are administered. For sew
eral winters, however, the United States
fish commission has endeavored to afford
an opportunity to see. how some Of his sub
is small, owing to the meagerness of the
means available for this purpose, yet the
visitor or the citizen Of the capital who
fails to see what there is to see behind
the glass of the aquaria down at the CEN
trail station is missing one of the most in
teresting sights of the city.
About sixty species have been brought
from their native sea, lake and river, and
live in their confined quarters in as much
eontentment as though they were not
prisoners of state. To some of them,
however, freedom is something unknown.
Ghe trout, salmon, carp and few others
have been prisoners for generations, and
the gold fish and paradise fish were
brought from the orient, where they
have long been bred in captivity. The
last mentioned is great favorits on
account of its beautiful coloration, its
hardness in the aquarium and its curl
Gus habits. During the breeding season,
as soon as the eggs are laid, the male
constructs nest to protect them as they
float upon the surface of the water He
seems to have the instincts of an Ameri-
can building contractor, for his material
is of the fimsiest. He merely goes to
the top, gulps in a mouthful of air, then
swims below the eggs and let's it go up
in succession of tiny bubbles. which
spread over the surface and effectually
conceal the transparent mass of ova, or
the wriggling fry when they are Matched.
1t requires diligence to keep it in repair,
but building material is cheap, and his
capturing in his mouth the hayward
members of his family who stray from
the precincts of the nest and driving
off the mother fish, who only wants the
opportunity to become a cannibal. He
makes also an occasional raid upon a
neighboring nest for the sake of excite
ment and to increase his family, and
then there is apt to be fight, in which
the contestants display ferucity which
is all out Of proportion to the small
amount of damage they are able to inflict.
This pugnacity is prominent family
characteristic, and the paradise fish has a
relative which is cultivated in Siam sole
" on account of the propensity of tho
males to fight Matches between these
fish are arranged by the natives, and
upon the result are often staked the
money, the goods and chattels and even
he families of the bettsrs.
PEACEFULLY DISPOSED.
In another aquarium are a score or
more Of fishes, which are more disposed
toward peace, though it is peace based
upon perpetual preparation for defense.
They ara the swell-fish and the hurrfish,
Dear relatives, and possessing very SINH
lar characteristics. The SWELL fish has a
unique shape and peculiar ways. He is
1at-bottomed, as sailor man would say,
with a nearly quadrangular midship Sec
ton and sides which tumble home'
rapidly as they rise, so that he is very
broad on the bottom and very narrow on
top, like fifteenth-oentury man war.
But his speciality is his ability to distend
tho loose skin on his abdomen with air
or water when frightened or irritated.
until he is two or three times his normal
bulk and looks like base ball with a
small fish attached for sort of handle,
To permit sketch to be made of this
popularity, the gentleman in charge Of
the aquaria, Capt. Heron, caught one of
them with a dipnet-a liberty which is
usually sufficient to cause very prompt
and excessive distension-but they have
been subjected to such variety of in
dignities since they were rudsly hauled
out OF the Chesapeake bay in seine that
they have grown impertuT bable. This
one manifested very little concern at be-
ing removed from the water, and it re-.
CURED vigorous prodding and scratch
ing to rouse his resentment. He SO uirmed
a2d wriggled in his oaptor's hands, but
was obstinate in the matter of display
ing his powers, and when at last his pa
thence failed and he did commence to in
fate himself, drawing in the air with
short Inspirations and clicking like a
pair of castanets, he suddenly thought
better of it and collapsed like punotured
toy balloon. Two or three were thus dis
appointing, but finally one old fellow was
caught who was less disposed to be amia-
BILE about it, and he swelled at once with
indignation. And his outraged feelings
wero not readily soothed, for he held his
breath long after he was back in the
water, and floated around, wrong side
up, looking very mad and droll until at
last he forgave and let 60, righted him
self and joined his companions. This odd
faculty ia n means of defense When a