The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-09-27
THE HABITS OF FISH.
SALMON ARE THE FIGHTING ROMEOS
OF THE FINNY TRIBES.

SALMON AXE l HE FIGH ING ROMEOo
OF THE FINNY TRIBES.
Goldfish Can Guido the Cont and Os-
trich Combined In Digestive Pow
ers, and the BlucGsh Is the Most
HIoodthirsty Thing In Nature.
It is not too much to sag that in some
ways the love Of salmon passeth that
of women. To reach the objects Of
their affection they perform fcats and
undergo hardships greater than any
man could do or bear, and to maintain
it they fight with courage and fury
which might make many a soldier en-
vious.
The salmon trials begin when they
first leave the sea on their long up riy-
er Journey to meet their sweethearts.
Presently perhaps they meet a high
waterfall. Then the salmon backs
away as far as possible, makes loco
motivelike rush and leaps for the top.
he actually whizzes through the air,
his tail moving like lightning, his
scales shining like silver enamel. Per-
haps he fails to reach the top by foot,
but he catches the water, hangs sus-
pended for a moment and then with 4
miraculous strength forces his way up
and reaches the quiet water beyond.
Perhaps the next waterfall is five
feet higher. and the salmon leaps in
vain. Then, finding the feat impossi-
BILE, he actually climbs the sides,
jumping up from ledge to ledge and
resting in little pools until the river
above is reached. Then he goes on
pushing through rapids and founder
ing over shadows until the spawning
ground is reached. In many Of the
larger rivers Of this continent the sal
mon is no beauty when he reaches his
journeys end. His scales perhaps arc
worn of, his fms torn. and his body is
mass Of bruises. But nevertheless
he wooes his ladyloyc boldly, caresses
her tendcrly, fights his rivals fercely
and wins his bride like, soldier.
But all fish are not so romantic. The
Goldfish, for instance, is unsentimental
and actually ridiculous. Hc is great,
gray, ugly fish, and his name itself is
abBurd. II there were such q thing as
submarine humor, he would figure in
It rs the goat does in our own comics.
The codfsn has. in fact, an appetite
which makes the goats look pale. and
when fishermen cut the fish open they
assert that they often find such things
as scissors. suspender buckles. horse
shoes, potato patings. oil cans. door
knobs. marlin spikes. corncobs and
india rubber shoes.
Another startling story told by fish
ermen is that in heavy weather cod
fish eat stones to ballast them. but 1t
is more likely that these rocks are TAX
en- in while attached to sea anemones,
of which the Goldfish are very fond. 1t
may bo inferred that Goldfish do not
object TO nibble the fingers or hands
Of human beings. because the wedding
ring of a drowned woman was once
found in Gods stomach, and the fnd.
er got big reward for its return.
Oysters and CLANS In the she'll arc
very popular with the Goldfish, and
there are vast heaps Of dead shells in
the ocean. "nt.sted" together like
strawberry boxes, which are beloved
to have once been in the stomachs OF
Goldfish. The apDeutes Of these fish
are Unsuitable. They will flll their
stomachs. Ill their outlets and all their
mouths with food and still try to get
more.
II people knew more about tho flsh
they eat. 1t is possible that a slice, OF
''baked blue" might Eli many a man
with shuddering horror, FOR the blue.
fish is perhaps the most terrible and
bloodthirsty thing in all nature. The
tiger has sweet and cheerful disDosi-
tlon compared to the blueflsh, the
shark seems q phlegmatlc and nmlable
creature, and the wolf. by comparison.
is positively mild. The blueflsh make
menhaden their especial prey. When
school Of these fish perceive bluefish
near, they swim away with such terri
flc haste that the ocean foams under
them, but the blueflsh cannot be dis
tanced. They rush among the help
less menhaden, biting, tearing, thrash
ing and even throwing them into the
air.
They do not stop to swallow their
prey, but kill purely for the love OF
slaughter. The sea is reddened with
blood and dotted with dead fish. but
bluefsh Kill on until exhaustion stops
them or until tho menhaden get into
such shallow water that the blueflsh
do not care to follow. Sometimes these
helpless fish are so blind with terror
that they swim ashore and are piled
up In windrows o foot deep.
The blueflsh do not eat onc-tcnth Of
the fish they kill. although when sur
feltcd they arc believed by some peo.i
pie to disgorgc their food In order to
take in another meal. 1t is cstimated
that during q fair season 100000
bluefish are caught between New Jer.
uov on1 A6rnnmov and that ohout {(00 :.