The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28
FRIENDSHIPS or THE FISHES.
Some Creatures of tho Sea Tint Afford Liv-
ing Homes to Others.

Ing Homes to Others.
AVALON. Cal. May 2O.-The visitor to this
part Of California VIII some time soc on the
blue sen. extending as far ne the eve can reach.
n vast feet Of mimic craft. all upon the same
tack. Tn" snils appear like satin and. caught
nv the sun. fash and CLEAN SO that the SUR
face OF the ocean Ia apparently covered with
bubbles. These mimic craft IRE called by
the sailors Portuguese men-of-war. but are
really velellas. a group Of zooids. Each of
them consists practically Of an oblong raft re-
sembling spun glass. upon the top Of which
Ia a triangular sail Of the snme color and
consistency. From the lower part OF the raft
the animal matter depends and Is OF a most
beautiful blue tint. These little ships are
blown along the prevailing trades and feed on
minute animals. Among the blue tcntacles
small fishes and crustaceans may be found
partly consumed. showing that the tcntacles
are deadly to small animals. Yet. dcs pitc this.
many Of the mimic ships afford protection to
one or more little fishes that accom- any them.
illustrating ono OF the most singular features
OF animal lifc-thot many animals are virtually
living homes. the protectors OF other animals.
The real Portuguese man-o'-war is the
physnlia. found further south n delicate bulb
lilo that floats upon the surface. dragging a
train OF tentnc.es which are virtually electrical
batteries in their effect. They act "a hats or
lures to small fry. The writer has seen n
snrlinc seize one and Immediately turn over
dead. Tho moment the tcntaclc Is touched
many javclins arc projected into the enemy.
and the shock is so great that small animals
nre instantly killed and large ones often seri-
ously troubled. Yet. singularly. the ply
salia Is n homo and protector to several
small fishes. The physalia has a beau
tiful sail which 1t raises TO the breeze. The
ltfln ntfnnhnpfu nFn nhntf tnp innhn, t.,
length and resemble small mnckerel in shap ne,
but In color they are the exact tint Of the ten
tacles OF their protector among which they
make their home. So perfect is the protection
pnSfISe from Tg 1h's 3 T1ii a1nmcc ' tn a Il i n,mss'i tpo
little creatures from the tentacles.
Why small animals should seek such uncer-
tain and migratory protection is difficult to rN-
plain; but the fact rema ms That tn" young of
certain migratory and n"Iagic fishes adopt Ger:
jc,lylshes examined by the writer In the Pa
ciilc waters. nnarIy all had a colony Of little
the ]jeilyash,, Neatly ali thu ''D jcIIyash%%s'
tie fish had a similar coioring: in other
words; was as ,t a G mimic; End 'hMs eyaded
p~hysalia. veIclIa and porpita are very Common
and o ten cover the surface. as far as tn. eye
Gnn y rSsc h.. Hi t sI a ftHrT mt the shores Of the
balloons to be carried hy1he winds hlther all
thither; and in, the case of the physal n exp,ol-
ing with q loud report when crushed tcnenth
the feet. The writer has s"en these mimic
the fishes that had been their attcn lants had
deserted, them and found a home with others
tnnt had survived thn storm and were still
The writer once found n hermit crab that hal
taken pcs ;ession Of an old. discarded clay pipe
her of n%oarler1 or tenants. On the claws Of the
crab were several barnacles that continually
upon the inner side Of the pire. while on it's
outer surface nature, had planted Il marine gar
den. First. the serpuln had covered It with their
Shiny serncntinc. tubes anil at each entrance
was the ilowerAke arrangement OF Ilnmrs:
among these were several sea anc'nonrs and
coral rolyps. while some scarlet bivnlvc shells
had attached themselves to thu community.
All these creatures were dra 'gcd aLout by the
unconsciousIy providing food for The StGsr r''
A crab found in the Indian Ocean Afforded a
remarkable instance OF this communal habit.
IL was n large marine crab, and on its big claw,
near TIE Joint. hung n sea nncmon". SO place
that when the, crab was feeding its mouth re-
the anemonc wns SO unusual that it occurred to
the finder that there might lie some associa-
taken from The claw AMI pIacel ih in n tank with 4
the crab. The latter Immediately seized it.
and n repiaccd tn" pnemonr upon its CLAW This
nncmone was cnt into parts. and tho crab col
lsGtsd each part an4 held them IN is claws,
tween animals SO low in ii.o is rarely seen.
Many sharks afford n home and protection to
several fishes. About The head Of a large man
enter the writer has watched the little stripe
pilot fish, nay. hut he doubts il the appcllation
Of pilot nsh has any very sure foundation in
fact. Clinging to the body OF this same shark
will be found the dark. nat-hcaled remora that
has II srcking disk.
Among the singular animals OF tropical and
semi-troDicnl seas are the ho'o.hurians or sea
s'pgs. often eight or ten inches in length.
which are frequently, living homes Of nm inter
csting, character, The hoarder is a long slen-
der fish. thin and glasslike. which makes its
home within the animal. entering tniI first and
coming out hca first. IA occasion offers,
though IN all probability. remaining most OF the
time with its host and feeding there. Tn"
~nhnlone or haliotls. go common along the
Californian coast, lring large. fiat and u
slow mover, affords an admirable opportunity
for various animals to attach themselves to il
nnl SECURE homes The shell fairly lristlos
witt, life. and no one would suspect that be-
meath the brilliantly cOlored calopy scores Of
different animals rest on tn" sfow-moving
mollrsk. As il travels from n'nce to place its
hoariers obtain free, II not rapi,l. transit over
the rocks; These are but a few among the
most striking instances illustrating this
strange feature of marine life.