New-York tribune., 1900-07-15

tens. few days ago Mr.. Spencer the superin-
tendent at the Aquarium. discovered that Jack had
something in his mouth and having lots of
fun with It. Now. there danger OF the seals
swallowing the article. whatever It was. which
might make him Ill, or. getting II stuck in his
throat It might choke him. So Mr.. Spencer knew
that It must be got out at once. Il called for
some bits OF goldfish" he said. "and coaxed Jack
toward with them When he got to the
side OF the pool he dropped the object to get the
fish. But when I reached for 1t. quick as a fash
he seized 1t again IN his mouth and shot across
the pool where he kept his eye Two or
three times had to coax him over with his food
and had to be pretty lively with a small dip net
to get his paything away from him. which proved
to be a small tin spoon. thrown into the tank by
some child
Jack sometimes has a big bah Of light wood to
play with, and he'll amuse himself by the hour in
this way. He will raise his head up out OF the
water, and resting his chin on the ball hold n
down until he catches 1t IN his hippers and then
sink with It to the bottom OF the pool When the
ball slips away from him and comes the surface
Jack will swim around a few times and then repeat
the performance
When a seal dives 1t closes its nostrils and ears
and does not stay under very long The
seals In the Aquarium while Sleeping during the
day lie the bottom of the pool, coming to the
surface every fifteen or twenty minutes for fresh
supply of air At night they sleep on the stone
platform at one end OF the pool The front fippers
of the seal used in moving about on land
and In climbing rocks, as well as In swimming. and
with its large and powerful hind fippers It propels
itself through the water great speed
Jack occasionally finds great sport in douslng
water the visitors, and he will generally pick
out who looks the most unsuspecting
Perhaps he grows tired OF being watched all day
by a crowd Of people and thinks in this manner
to drive them away. He will swim rapidly round
and round the pool when suddenly a volume OF
water that would fill pail will deluge some un-
fortunate visitor Jack never misses his mark.
JIyh $ha oF tha
crowd his eyes fairly gleam with mischief. and he
snort in chuckles of glee he spins about
the pool while making up his mind whom he shall
select for his next victim.
The carp is known to belong to OF the Oldest
species of fish, and feeds upon both vegetable and
animal food II is native OF Central Asia. and
was introduced from there into Europe and Amer
lea There several varieties of this fish in the
Aquarium, and one called the mirror carp, has
large, irregular scales. which may entirely, cover
side of the body while the other side Will show
,njTror SThs earn gets soaked wheat as a relish
three times week as well as It's regular animal
Many FISH" says Mr.: Spencer, have several
There are the pike and pickerei and muskalionge
that can't get their food IN an honest way -, but
fish and pounce upon them before they can get
above board and II the little fish are spry enough
they can escape.
vanieties of trout the 100 Of the fish word~none
of your Goldfish aristocracy there'-as Mr. Spencer
Of the Pacific coast the brown trout Of Northern
Europe; Swiss lake trout and our own salmon and |
brook trout, all beautifully marked and speckled |
Among the peculiar and grotesque fish the |
Climbing perch which live a long time out OF
the water will make their way land for |
considerable distances. They found in the |
fresh waters of Cochin-China.
The parrot hsh from Bermuda is one Of the
handsomest fish found in the waters there. Some
times IL has strong markings OF light blue. and |
again IL will be colored just like green parrot.
1t is said that "a leopard cannot change its |
spots" and yet fish do The Scotch |
porgy is the variety where this is particularly
DOtfCe handsome
light olive in color, with dark spots which are
whitish their outer edges, giving il a marble
lied appearance. Sometimes those spots so |
pale to be hardly noticeable and again they |
will deepen almost to black. They Will change ]