New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-02
FISHES THAT MAKE NESTS,
THEY ARE FOUND IN THE SARCASSO
SEA.

SEA
From The London Globe
Strange as 1t may appear there are fishes
which BUM nests and deposit eggs Their in
amid the many wonders 81 the ocean, bit only
those who sail leisurely through the region Of
the Sargasso Sea have an opportunity for the OBJ
servation OF these curious marine architects A
vessel passing let us say. from the Bermudas
10 the Azores traverses some two thousand miles
or ocean which takes the name Of the SargassO
Sea from the quantities Of floating weed (Sar-
gasSum bacciferum) found only at the surface
or the water from 20 to 81 degrees north lati-
tude. A reference to the physical atlas shows
that the area comprises the space between the
great equatorial current and the curving sweep
or the Gulf Stream, which is detected by the
American continents huge vortex surrounded
by currents rather than swept by them The
masses OF yellow brown weed float in patches
TWO to three yards in diameter. sometimes in
fields several acres in extent The growth Ia
perfectly vigorous. and it is evident that The
organism originally torn away from the rooted
environment-haS learned to perpetuate itself at
the ocean surface Roots have merged into
fronds spore reproduction is lost, and the plant
survives and multipiics solely by subdivision
The floating islets OF seaWeed moreover. sup
port whole series Of animal life found in no
other part of the world. remarkable for the pro-
tective coloration. and snguarly adapted for
pelagic existence. Prominent among these are
certain species OF fishes which are 50 peculiar in
their habits that some description may not be
out Of place The first thing is to catch your
hsh; not always such an easy matter as the
over four knots fishing operations ,re use -.
The most effcctual plan is TO construct a Crap
mel of twisted wire. having six eight ruryri
hooks or pr0ngS radiatng from a common cen
tire. the whole cOntriYance being firmly attacheS
to fifty or sixty yards Of line. In this ma met
the patches Of floating weed IN De -.&pI,ci
the ship passes by the excitement Of throwing
with more or less accurate aim being quite sur
fcient to while away the afternoon. 4 success
ful shot buries your grapnel in the heart or
great mass Of weed, and the capture is at once
Hpars from. ,tarf tod
in bucket Of water for choice. few
moments serve to show that the fronds literally
swarm with living thinSs-shrimps, mollusca,
wriggllne worms fish and Zpophiics all asSunl-
Ing the notified yellow brown tints Of the weed;
a crabs back exactly resembles the colors Of the
bryozOa- infested seaweed.
As the mass expands itself in the bucket
pair Of brown fishes notified all over with yell
the branches, in shape Ike an anger-iish, to
which they are. indeed. related. The BODY OF
this Antcnnarius- curiously thick in proportion
10 LENGTHS about six inches long with an
enormous head and ugly mouth The eyes are
bright green. yellow tuberclcs cover the body
and fringe the fins; the tail Is suddenly attenu-
ated. The most noticeable character of the fish
is the modification Of the pectoral fins, which
are prolonged from the carpal joint into regu'
lar claspers or fingers. The fin. In short. Is like
a hand. The male Is smaller than the female
both cling to the weed and initiate their bodies
when agitated in remarkable manner. Now
this pair II fishes take possession If the patch
into a compact round ball about as large as a
Dutch cheese a process duly accomplished by
means of q threadlille. glutn0us secretion. with
the tenacty of long-dra strands Of singlass
or gut These are threaded in and out by both
fishes working with all their might and main.
the rows Of ova being eventually elected by the
female and firmly attached to the du tile
threads We may catch half dozen woven
nests as they float by. now deserted By the fish
but laden with eggs \ microscopic examination
Of each brown oyum shows the embryonic tsh.
q no cit
Twenty four hours later several hundred fish
fry swarm in the bucket Of sea water, still feed
ing on the uneXhausted contents of the Ovum
vac after the habit Of very young fishes. Thus
mas the Antennarius OF the gulf-Weed adapted
itself for oceanic life it builds Veritable nest
and lays eggs therein. even If the bird method
of sitting during incubation IS not followed out
A fish cannot Sit if you come To think Of it, al
though il may fly