The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
PHOTOGRAPHS OF FISHES.
CAPT. sHUFELDTs REPRODUCTIONS
OF LIVE SPECIMENS
Subjects Were In the Fish Commissions
Aauaria In wnshington-sunfsh Pie
ture. the Most Sucoessfui-Other Sub
t.c,. M the Series - The Difficulties.

Auuarin In NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Pie
lures the Most sucoessfui-Other Sub
jects of the series - The Difficulties.
Some interesting and scientifically valuable
photographs Of fishes taken by Capt II. W. Shu.
feidt Of the Army Medical Corps arc published
by tho United States Fish Commission in ono
of its pamphlets for the current year, with dc.
scripton Of the work Of photography by the opera
tor. Accurate photographs OF live fishes arc
rare, those that have been taken being mostly
pictures Of salmon or trout OF other game fish
az they have aped from tho water and were caught
by tho lens OF some patient OF lucky amateur:
Of flying fish taken in fight or Of some Of tho
species which occasionally crawl out Of tho water
and disport themselves on dry land for period.
Capt Shufedf subjects were taken in tho aauara
Of tho Fish Commission Building at Washing
ton while floating idly in tho water or swimming
about for exercise or In search OF food, so that
the pictures represent the fishes they habit.
ually live instead Of under such extraordinary
conditions as caping into tho air after ny or pro
iectIng themselves from the water to escape
pursuing enemy.
The Ash with which Capt Shufcldt seems TO
have had the best luck Is the common fresh wa
ter sunhsh known to the small boy OF all rural
districts where there IL any water as pumpkin
seed" In the pamphlet arc shown several
creature. ono OF tho reproduced photographs
showing a group Of eleven specimens swimming
along together, the bodies inclined 10 a common
angle with almost military precision. This
OF course was by the instantaneous process. Two
very fine individual photographs Of sunflsh
arc given. bringing out with remarkable clear
ness the intricate markings and mottlings OF
the species. Another excellent reproduction
is that Of the long cared sunfsh, not obtained
without the exercise Of patience.
For fully two hours upon an intensely suliry
afternoon" writes Capt Shufcdt. 4 was obliged
70 wait before this beautiful specimen came into
the proper place 10 b. photographed"
The result however, repaid the trouble as II
IL as perfect rs II taken through the medium 81
air instead Of water. A very realistic picture 81
the largc.mouthcd black bass, swimming with
mouth open and lower Jaw projecting combat
lively Is given 4 good sizcd specimen Of the
white perch was taken by Capt Shufeldts cam
era rs II was feeding along the bottom Of the tank
nose To the sand and tail up. Two small sea-
bass arc pictured, and the Photographic calls
att nton 10 the fact that this fish IL able 10 change
It's hue at will and a. swiftly as can the chame-
Icon Of our Southern States. Because Of tho
almost constant movement Of It's large Gns tho
bass IL difficult sub'cc, for the Photographic
lens but the two pictures given show very clearly
the markings and the position ~ the llns. 4 tau.
! toy showing distinct markings was taken while
resting on Nh bottom, tayoritc i%cn' ton, With h
| Capt Shufcldt had opportunity 10 study curious
habit Of theirs which h. describes
These FISH in confinement exhibit all their
| national traits, and in their aquarium some will
| bc seen swimming about not far above the bottom;
others Will be lying upon Their sides, and sun
! others attempting to secretc themselves beneath
| the rocks, while occasionally exhibiting peculiar
| method Of combating each other. This con asts
| in two fish tmales0 coming at each other face TO
face. orening their mouths, and the one bringing
his teeth in contact with those Of his antagonist,
each attempts To force his adversary backward
! instant, the more watchfu fish Of tho two will
make the attempt TO bite the other Sometimes
| there seems 20 be certain playfulness about
| the grotesque manBuyrcs, while at others an
earnest, combatve nature is quite apparent"
Other photographs included in the pamphle.
are those OF the spotted Sra trout foine"ha dim.
the naked star gazer, lying on its side and gazing:
upward with that rnpi expression 50 Characters
til Of its hdeous kind, the brook trout, fairly
| good picture the catfish very we'll taken, and
splendid photograph Of the common pike, taken
with ex posure Of two seconds the restful habi;
OF this fish permitting the operator 10 take his
time in getting the focus and lpca,ion ol his arpa'
Iatus This photogr2ph cor1rclH an error IN thc
! by tine Fish Commission as IL shows the eNtrrmI.
ties II the pixies tail forks To- b" rounded instead
| Of acute as in the former picture
From n photographers point of view the most
interesting, rcproduflen IN lhe pamphlet Is thst
while swimming. II is by no means a perfect
photograph. many OF the fishes being out OF focus
| and others being 50 Swallowed as to he hardly
diScernihle but not figure exhibits any hurring;
| frOm movement and IL is dOub .iul whether amy
| other cSlnnt Photograph shows many living
Ash on one plate. Regarding the methods OF
! FISH photography. Capt Shuirdt writes:
TO one having hut little knowirdgr Of the use Of
! the camera IL would aNprar 20 he n simple matter
| IL Photograph under such apparently favorable
! conditions, but sUCn Is by no means the case
In the first plac" in most instances the inrrssani
, rapid. and often cratic movements 81 the FISH
! tb"m9"iyes have Ia hc taken into account. the
| aquarla bcing iarg". "" hay" IN the second place
| IN" difficulty 81 prompt iucuSSirg 10 contend
. with, due to the latitude rnloycd by the smaller
Z and more active forms. Thirdly, there is tho
question Of reflection, and ;hiS. taken In Connrc-
! tUn With the light. H. SERIOUS problem. Re
} heCtions are especially Troublesome, as the glass
fronts of the aquara receive them from all dircc-
| tuns, 80 that after fDCusSlng. n CaTrfuI study
these reflections not onlv from som" 4 the other
| aquhra. but possibly the photC gTaphcr and his
camera besides. M this mus; be carefully guard
ed agans'
! WAS an olI.modei Blair tDurcrrlph. with Nogt-
lander lens 40. II C2T06i, M in,tani aneous
! shutter 81 the Low pattern Sc-i's G,it rGE"d
| demanded. 4 tripol is GhSuutcl% essential
tu succrss in this kind II woi.,. Tho instrument
was srt up in front II one 81 the more fave rabi-
! aQuarla and focused upon the part desired and
an inch or two beyond the surface Of tho HasS
| An armed plate holder whP inserted In place Of
| tho snap" set. Patient waiting I, an exposure
| when the fish swmS - thr place where YOU wan,
| II is necessary. Care must bc taken in drawing
| or pushing back the slide 81 the plate holder T.
and some Of my failure were due 10 complica,
| tonS Of this nature,
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