The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-09
WAYS or THE TRIGGER FISH.
An Odd Creature at the Aquarium That Likes
to Lie Down.

Disposed here and there upon the bottom Of
the tank at the Aquarium which Is occupied
BY the trigger fishes and the gray snappers
there are n number OF rocks. placed as they
might be found In nature. Included among
these there Is near the centre OF the tank a
bunch Of rocks made up Of a rather narrow
fat rock lying horizontally, with a rock on
edge. inclininR away from II. rising al one
side, and another rock on edge and also in
clining away from II. rising al the other side; the
three rocks thus presenting a sort OF trough
like formation. The trigger fishes In this tank
use this rocky trough "A a couch or resting
place. lying along the fat surface at the bot
tom and leaning against one or the other OF
the fsring sides. The couch part is not wide
enough to permit them 10 lie down quite fiat
upon il, for the trigger fish is. proportonately.
very deep bodied and these are sizable speci-
mems, weighing four or five pounds apiece.
1t is a common thing for the trigger fishes
to lie down in this trough apparently 10 rest,
one at a time. for there is only room there for
one. in this though the trigger Ash is not pc
culiar, there are other fishes. the blacklist, for
instance, that get into clefts in rock and
that lie down on rocks just as the trigger fish
does. One Of these trigger fishes here In the
tank may lie on this rock after II has once
settled down entirely mouonless, remaining
thus for an hour or two; 10 rise then and sail
away, giving place perhaps 10 another or the
triggers, Sometimes another trigger Ash will
after a time rout out the one that Ia lying there.
but this they rarely do; commonly a fish stays
there as long as IL wants To-. Once vacated. the
couch may soon be occupied by some other
fish. or II may remain for more or less time
unoccupied II may be that the FISH that had
Just left IL Will take n turn or two around
the tank and then go back 10 bed again itself.
this time. however. very probably. 10 stay but
briefly,
Lying there rs they do. perfectly motionless,
the trigger fish may vet he seen occasionally
TO shift It's eyes; looking about as one lying in
now and then the trigger fish turns over. on
the other side. Lying. II may. I've, inclined toward
the, back wall Of the trough, Il shifts so as TO
Incline toward the front wall. bringing its other
side against that rock.
This trough or couch ranges ~lengthwise
speciator's view. As looked at from the front
the rock rising on that side OF the couch OBJ
structs tho view Of the middle section OF the
and a little Of its body can De seen protecting
at one end and lis tail az the other. The couch
4 rather short for the ish. and a the tail end
bed Imply. A trigger Ash lying here thus
has not lntreauently been mistaken for a dead
often enough 70 know the trigger nsh's ways
remarks that are likely to he made by some
""o9hh. see tho dead fshhII" one Visitor may say
10 another in his, company, indicating as he
trough; and then they stand and look al the
dead fish. 1t may be that as they are looking at
IL the dead one comes 70 life and rouses up and
nIps at and starts of after some passing fish.
Him! Come on. guess he's a good ways
from dead yet, says the speaker. and the two
move on TO the next tank.
But while the trigger fish may start out in
lively fashion, and Is not a very dull
fish, II II by no. means as quick
In the water or as much disposed 10 move about
az the gray snappers are. In fact the trigger
fishes alone In thistank seem lazy and disposedto
loaf: they alone lie down Ia tho rocky trough.
The gray shappers; graceful In shape. are pretty
much always on the so and may be seen often
scurryinR about In company.
Trigger fishes are found In the waters here
abouts. they are, however. more abundant in the
waters OF Bermuda, whence these particular
trigger FISHES came. as did also their tank CON-
panions, the gray snapper. -