The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-23
COMPANION TO THE SHARK.
A Little Pilothish Put Into the Tank OF q
Big Fellow at the Aquarium.

The f~Our-foot sand shark exhibited at the
Aquarium behind glass in a tank now has a
new companion, or rather follower. in the shape
Of a little pilotflsh that was taken with a hook
and line on sept. : at the fishing banks.
That it is the way Of The pilotflsh to accom-
pany sharks is familiar. PilotfsheS swim
about with sharks. somew here near them.
wherever they 40. sometimes departing from
them in search Of food for themselves. but COM
monty staying with them. and feeding. it may
Toe. on scraps that the shark leaves Of fishes
that it destroys. PilotfShc> are often taken
with sharks. A fisherman who should find
when he ha uled one Of his nets. a. In fact he
might, a dozen sand sharks IL il, would
be likely to take twenty or thirty pilaia,h
fish would betokel the. neiRhboring pres
ence Of sharks. i Is probable tina { this little
strayed from the side Of a shark. attracted
bythe bait OF the hook upon " hiCh il was caught,
In the shark tapk at the Aqusrlqu there are
three yellow maCkerel. two Of them stable
FISH and the other a little fellow six or eight
inches in length, which is about the size OF The
new little pilot II might seem az though the
the yellow maCkercl choosing for a companion
the little one .among them. but in reality the
il made straight for The shark and il has
travelled with the shark ever ,inCe
Commonly this pilot travels over the shark,
sticking close to the tip Of the sharks dorsal
fin, so close indeed as sometimes to touch il.
and right there. for by tar the greater part
Of the time. the little pilot holds lis place.
Wherever the shark goes the pilot fish goes.
The shark occupies a double tank. two tanks
Joined in one 10y a wide and high arch. II
the shark goes the length of both tanks before
turning in the other direction. the pilot FISH
goes. too, IF The shark should go simply the
length Of one section of the tanks and then
turn. The pilot Ash would hitch around with
Il therN, keeping al the time close 10 the Zip
Of the sharks dorsaL Sometimes The pilot
drops down the sharks side and swims along
there for a little. close to, abreast Of the sharks
midship section. Sometimes when the shark
swims low the little pilot drops down lower
still and gives himself n little rub on the Rravelly
bottom Of the tank. Parasites bother IL, mayho,
ard when It's Good il put into the tank the pilot
will stop for that. but start when II has picked
that up, TO catch up with the shark again, taxi
ing station, ~ ii would after any Of those other
temporary departures from 1t. at the tip %
the sharks dOrsal An.
And they make a wonderful pair. SWIM
ming, a. II does. at a point about mid length
81 the sharks body and only lust clear ~ the
dorSal, the contrast. a. To size, between the
shark and the little pilot ia rs striking and Of
fective as II could be. In color the shark X
81 a light gray, almost uniform In shade. while
the pilothsh. banded a. all pilots ARE. has
bands that are almost black, they are 40
strongly marked and so the two present. as
well "a in size. a strong contrast In color and
markings. One Is big the other little. one
strong the other weak they couldn't he much
more unlike. But there they go inseparable,
the shark and the pilothsh.