The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

nature mas kindly COlOreu lnem so r0aG II
is exceedingly difficult to distinguish them
from the ground-on which they lie. There
are several of the large fish that consider
founders a particular dainty and if 1t
were not for the fact that the founder and
the oceans bed are about the same color
it is more than likely that the founder
would be an exceedingly rare fish.
The specimens of this variety of fish in
the aquarium were noticed by Professor
Verrill to have become spotted and mot
tied in what seemed to be dark pigment,
the strong resem blance to the ground
color was lost entirely, and their markings
stood out as wildly almost as do those of
the fresh-water perch. TWAS also noticed
that several species of minnows which in
the daytime seemed to be merely of a
dark almost blackish color, were by night
marked by either longitudinal or trans
verse bands of a much deeper color than
that which characterized the tiny fish by
daylight. This statement also holds good
of the kingfish. whose dark stripes
traverse it obliquely. Then there was the
black sea bass and that peculiar-looking
fish known as the sea robin, which ex-
hibited changes very like unto those men,
toned. 1t was also noticed that mum Der
of specimens of trout that were fairly
light colored in the daytime grew to be
almost black at night.
1t must be thoroughly understood that
the light given by the electricity did not
in any way cause the colors of the fish to
change. Professor Verriil had this light
so shine as to produce the effect, so far as
accurately distinguishing the colors is
concerned, as if he had been gazing at the
aquarium in broad daylight. If this were
not vouched for by SO thoroughly reliable
an authority as the investigator the cyni-
cal BIOLOGIST would be very apt to question
the statement. Coming from Professor
Verrill, however, as these facts do, they
are beyond question.
Other fish than those mentioned show
infinitely more remarkable changes. Take
the soup, or, as it is often termed, the
porgy. This fish is usually of a silvery
color, bright and teeminG with delicately
iridescent tints. 1t reminds one of the
beautifully colored fish one sees in the
tropical streams and in the ocean off GER
tain portions of the South American con-
tinent and the islands that dot the sea in
the vicinity of the torrid zone. 1t is, in
fact, one of the most beautiful fish that
swim in northern waters. Yet, when it
sleeps, in the nighttime, 1t becomes of a
dull bronze brown color, and is marked by
transverse black bands. II is difficult to
imagine greater change in appearance.
So far as color is concerned one would OF
know it was the same fish at all.
In connection with this fact it was
in ha hear ba
awakening of this fish and its results. To
test this fact Professor Verriil suddenly
turned on the light with greater force. In
the twinkling of an eye the porgy re-
sumed its daylight appearance. The
power to make this change in color is
really a very great protection to the
porgy, which rests great share of the
time in the eel grass and seaweed that
cover portions OF the oceans bed. Natur-
rally there is a difference in the appear
ance In this growth of nature during the
day and at night. and the porgy changes
color accordingly.
Another fish whose color pattern
changes at night very greatly is that is
dissgreeab e-looking creature known as
the fetish. Under ordinary circum-
stances it is Of bIackish color, spotted with
brown and olive-green patches. Both fins
and tail are darker than the body. When
the file sleeps it turns almost white in
color, although fms and tail become black
as Jet. The file sleeps on the bed of the
ocean, leaning up against something, for
all the world like the man without home.
Inasmuch az the file lives among the rocks
and weeds, its changeable color enables ii
to frequently be practically invisible
President Cleveland's favorite catch.
the tautog, is dark on one side and light
colored on the other. When it goes to
sleep on its de, for it slumbers lying as
a fish on a marble slab in the market, the
color of the exposed side becomes so dark
as to make it prac tically undistinguish.
able from the ground on which it is sleep
ing. The squid, the monster that is
dreaded and hated salike by the real and
the amateur fisherman, sleeps resting
on the tip of its tail and the basic portion
of those deadly arms that wind about its
victim and drag him TO one of the most
frightful of deaths. In color the souid is
darker when asleep end its ugly spots
show with remarkable distlnctness. Its
peculiar position when sleeping is evil