Daily inter mountain., 1899-12-09
TIE Lam GUACE:
Of FISHES

NEE RESTE u "a
EEH HEE6EH ~
i W. sSASs EDSo
|
IAN hshes talk! 1t is possible that the
ppi,o.al oI'ililoil mas SO iols pceh wrong
anu anu thal the beautiful residents OF the
; sea are not colnpeiled 70 depend upon
suhie 80 vague klnd OF sign LANGUAGE When
| 'hty ueslfe 70 communicate with others OF
,helr KIND? For years scientists have
'esn .ryins to discover Whether the loW-
er anllnais nave language OF their oW,
oI IL lney were as silent as the term
uuiifp oeast would indicate. Although
me question mas been gravely discussed
ana carefully investigated, the men or
learning are not yet agreed as to the ac-
| ,uai results OF the experiments that have
neen mace. 1hefc are thOse VINO belleVe
lhat nlrds as well as animals have Il
! crnae klld of language that the sounds
! they MAKE are understood by other crea-
lures oi the same family, but the idea
! tllat nshes might possibly possess sim
1lar gllt mas seldom II ever been sug-
Sesleu.
~ splte or tne fact that scientists in
general nave neglected this field Of re-
seafch, q rev men nave recognized it's
possibilities and have been quietly pur-
SUNG their investigations along these
Nnes. Ihe results or these Investigations
are now published, and the world is in
| formed that. instead OF being dumb. there
are many fish that are capable Of MAX
! ING sounds that are understood by Othe,
/ fishes and that there are but very few
! OF the inhabltants OF the sea that are not
able to express some emotions.
Among those who have made important
ulscOVefleS IN thls neld OF natural history
are Professor J. l.. Kollicker, of the Roy
az Aquarium at Naples. and the late Pro-
lessor Spencer II. Baird, Of the SmithsOn-
n STf n
death OF Professor Baird interrupted his
investigations, but as he left full rec
ora or the nature OF his important dis
coVerles, his work will undoubtedly be
carried on by MS successor. Professor
l<ollicker, however, has gone so far with
! ms research that he has actually sue
/ ceeded In obtaining phonographic impress
SONS Oh the SOUNDS made by the fshes
and he firmly believes that he will yet
be able to prove that these sounds are
capable of Interpretation.
Inc report or Iro1essor Baird has re-
! comfy Deen puDllshed, ana 1t contains
! racts relating to many interesting dis
| coNerles lie found, for instance, that
| the strange sounds that seemed to in
! dlcate that some hard substance was
! striking against the bottom or the ves-
sci, sound that mas always been re-
galded with superstitious awe by sea-
men, was really produced by the drum
hsh, ana that the strange cracking
SOUND sometimes heard When the ear is
held near the water, IS also made by some
creature or the sea.
whales utter strange sounds, especial
iy when they are near land, and the giz-
zard shad utters note that can be heard
long distance. The hiemulon, high
| ~ eolered fish That may he found in some
parts of the Gulf of Mexico, has call
th&t may be heard from one end of u long
| vessel to the other, while the loudest
sound made by any fish is that of the
noshsh or shafk, that fre4aents the
New england coast. Ihe sound uttered
by the eel is extremely musical, while the
great Australian lung ilsh so called be-
cause When under water 1t breathes by
us glils, ana When out OF the water by
means or It's bladder, mas cry that is
| peculiarly resonant.
one OIL the most remarkable or all the
sound producing hsh, however. is found
IN the emma sea. Ihey were discovered
by lieutenant W mite OF the British Navy,
while he was at work near the entrance
TO river. lie was anchored for the
night IN shalloW water when suddenly
stfarge sounds began to be heard com
ing up from the bottom. They are de-
sclibed as resembling the changing of
ntiis aiia til' pe'lihs oi uiuilS. me Sail
| o1s on the boats We're instantly demor-
allZed, as they attributed the noises to
spirits OF crew OF pirates who had once
been drowned near that spot.The officers,
however, We're not inclined to be super
stitious, and their Investigations proved
beyond question that the sounds We're