The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-06
FINNY FRIENDSHIPS.
Strange Associations That Seem
to Indicate That They Exist
Sharks Always Attended BY Remora-
Other Curious Instincts OF Apparent
Intimacy and Eondness Of
Scaly Animals.

Recently large shark was caught on
the coast not far from San Francisco,
and when it was hauled in shore several
curious fishes were found clinging &c
it. They were about foot in length.
black and shining, while the head was
curiously fattened. having plate upon
it resembling section Of a Venetian
blind. This plate was sucker and the
fishes had fastened themselves to the
shark by it and could hardly be pulled
away.
The fish was the remora, a curious
member Of the fnny tribe, invariably
found with sharks and sometimes seen
consorting with large turtles and
sheepshead. What the relationship real.
~ is would be difficult to tell, but the
shark apparently does not object, and,
so far as we know, does not attempt
to irjure his attendants, so it is fair
to assume that it is case of friend.
ship.
In watching sharks in deep water
have always seen the remoras swim
ming alongside, but the moment the
shark was hooked they attached them
selves by the sucking plate and as
rule came out of the water with their
big companion, sacrificing their lives
rather than be parted, while those
which had not secured hold swan
about where the shark was pulled out,
evidently much disturbed.
The shark has another friend in the
little pilotfish, a member Of the mack
ere family. / have seen a dozen or
more swimming about the head of Q
man-eater, darting of TO every small
object that met their eye or scent and
returning to their big consort. have
seen the pilot swim out ten feet to a
floating dead fish and return to the
shark that was swimming on the sur
face, upon which the latter would move
in that direction. This may have been
a coincidence, but serves the plan of
friendship very well. This association
of animals is so common among marine
forms that it Is difficult to disavow the
idea of friendship and protection. Up
the tentacles of the Portuguese
which are so deadly that
the slightest touch will kill a sardine,
l have found in the Gulf of Mexico
numbers of little fishes allied to the
mackerel and of the exact tint of the
tentacles, undoubtedly finding protec-
ton in this resemblance. AS l lifted
up one of the men-of-war by the tail
the fishes darted about in great con-
fusion and returned Immediately to
their companion as 1 replaced it in the
water, and there was apparently some
bond of friendship between them.
Nearly all the large jellyfshes have
their trains of finny courtiers, in near
ly every case allied to the mackerel
family and probably born on the high
seas, so taking up with the umbrella
like jelly for protector.
The trepang, the favorite fish of the
celestials, whoaspend $4,000 annually
for this dainty hIords protection to a
small fish. misunderstanding oyera coral
reef and noting large trepang, lifted
it up, when, to my amazement, out
came a delicate. silvery fish, SO trans
parent that print could almost be read
through it. I caught the curious Wis
itor and placed it in water, where it
SWAN about for few minutes and then
died. This incident resulted in the ex-
of other trepangs, and
found that nearly all had an occupant.
In no instance did l see fish return
to it's protector, though the naturalists
Of the Naples aquarium have been so
fortunate. curious to say the return
being made tail first.
The presence of sea auemone on the
back of n crab might be considered
an accidental occurrence. but there is
every reason to believe there is a bond
Of friendship between certain individ-
uals. A distinguished German natural
st found in his explorations large
,rab, which bore upon one of its claws,
Just at the joint, sea anemone, the
mouth of the latter being so situated
hat it fell just beneath the mouth of
the crab when the latter was eating.
To prove whether the crab had any
affection for his companion, the nat
1ralists took the crab and placed it
n tank, forcibly taking the anemone
rom the claw and dropping it in the |
water. He supposed that the crab
would be relieved. but on the contrary
{ seemed TO be disturbed and hunted |
around until it found the anemone,
when it replaced it on the same spot. |
The naturalist then cut the apemone |
nto several pieces and scattered them |
about the tank. returning after awhile !
o find that the crab had collected |
Every available piece and was evidently |
Guarding them.
The experiment was tried with sew |
raj crabs with the same result, which |
would seem to show that between the |
rab and the anemone existed bond |
# some kind. This companionship is |
cen especially in Africa, where nearly |
III the large animals have their bird !
onpanionS On the black rhinoceros |
! white heron is often secn, while on
he oxen several birds take possession |
nd when an enemy approaches they
Use with loud cries, warning their /
luge companion, and many a hunter
oses a good shot in this way. The /
anel has 4 feathered friend that is \
ften seen perched upon its ears, ex-
mining the skin with great care; and
he moose has good friend in the Can
da Jay, that roosts on Its horns and 1
Jack and gives warning Of an approach
ng enemy.
Among all the lower animals can be
ound these strange associations. which,
as friendship CT something
lse. are none the less reraarks ble.@Saa
francisco Ch-orscfe