The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-08-24
CLICKING OF SEA SHELLS.
The Sound Ia Loud Enough to BE
Heard at Distance OF
Several Feet.

kA0AfO ~ Distance OF
Several Feet.
Anyone who is at all an observer or
listener cannot fail to have heard the
peculiar clicking sound on the water
in southern California. The writer
fret heard 1t after long day of
fishing, when lying In the bottom of
THE boat below the water line. 1t
came like the snap of an electric
shock, continually repeated, loud
enough to be heard several feet dis
itant, and when the ear was pressed
near the huh it became very distinct
The italian fisherman said the sound
was made by fish. Yet looking over
board into the clear water nothing
could be seen, though the sharp, reso-
lnant click came continuously all along
the water line. The closest examine
tion failed to reveal any animal cling
ling to the boat, and the sound was
undoubtedly due to some delicate
jcrustacean with which the waters are
filled, says the Philadelphia Times.
/, The man who goes down to the sea
in ships hears many singular noises
difficult to explain or understand,
most Of which are made by animals
ias rule not suspected. It is not gen.
orally believed that shells have the
faculty OF making audible sounds, bu.
lmollusks have succeeded in creating
widespread speculation, indeed, alarm,
among superstitious fishermen.
When SIR Emerson Tennent first
visited Ceylon he learned that there
was NO little excitement among the
fishermen and people living along
shore over the fact that musical
sounds had been heard rising from the
isea. He considered 1t o fish story,
tbut so persistent were those who had
heard the sounds that he determined
, to investigate. and for that purpose
went out with q fisherman who had
/ listened to the sounds not once but
many times. The man said that they
We're not made by fish, but o shell,
land this was found to be the case
small shell known in the Tamil
i language as the Oorle cooleeroo cra-
doc, or singing shell, the curious
name being manifest attempt to i'm
itate the sound made by the shell.
. Sir Emerson Tennent sat In his boat
! for some time listening carefully and
: was finally repaid by hearing the So
called music, which came up from the
water. he says, 'like the gentle thrills
,of musical chord or the faint vibra-
! tions OF a wine glass when it's rim
Is rubbed by moistened d1nger."
. This distinguished naturalist made
! q careful study of the sounds on many
! occasions and found that 1t was not o
sustained note but made up of null
! titude OF tiny ones, each clear and
! distinct In itself, and ranging from a
thigh treble down to a bass. When
/ the ear was applied to the gunwale Of
the boat the sound grew more In.
tense, and In some places as the boat
moved on 1t could not be heard at all,
showing that the shells were collect
led In groups. The scientific name Of
this music-maker is Littornia loeris,
while another form equally musical Ia
Cerithium polastre.
Among the natives In Bombay some
years ago there was q persistent ru,
NOR to the effect that cries and music
Ihad been heard rising from the bay.
Finally party of English officers were
passing from the promontory of SAL
eette to O beach near Sewee when
they were amazed to hear the sounds,
which In this instance were so loud
as to demoralize the native rowers,
who gave themselves up for lost. The
sounds resembled the tolling of bells.
the booming of supposed gun, the
notes of an Aeolian harp, while 9TH
ers described the sound as long,
drawn-out musical note of great
sweetness common In these waters.
A negro fisherman at Pascagoula
creek, Mississippi, astonished his pa
irons one day by the statement that
he was going to give up fishing, as the
water was haunted. Something, he
said, kept singing TO him. Everyone
supposed the man to be crazy or on
the borderland. but finally white
man went fishing on his grounds and
heard o singular, muffled. musical
sound rising from the water all about,
which proved to come from q shell
common to the locality. The writer,
who has taken many large conchs OF
various kinds, has frequently heard
peculiar clicking noise uttered by
them. and the little shell known as
Tritonia ahorescens makes so distinct
o metallic sound that 1t can be dis
tinctly heard q number of feet away.
The natural conclusion Is that If
shells utter sound they have some
meaning and are consequently Ian
guage, but it would be difficult to
prove this.
LaFgeat Gun In the World.
The 0nn 0y,nrdfnn the harhop iu