New-York tribune., 1903-04-05
COLLECTING RARE FISH.
Interesting Specimens from Dry
Tortugas Fishing zcith a Battery.


Thompson, an assistant surgeon in the United
States Navy. the other day. he sat before a
table IN the laboratory of the New-Tork A1llrt-
nm taking small specimens Of fish Of many
different species from square battles and pacing
them singIy in round bottles or clear s-'ts@
He was arranging lis collection He had Just
brought it from Dry TOrtugas, where, sta--'ned
in exile he had spent many Of his unoccNpled
hours in forming it. In the square ootl-es we're
flying fish ONLY half inch long. tiny sea horses
bv the half dozen, four eyed fish and fish which
are so new to the knowledge Of man that theY
have not received yet any common name I1ars
we're species of which DR.. Thompson was tne
discoverer Armed with a pair OF nlcS--ed
tweezers nearly a foot long, he was aSsorllA- ne
fish according to their species To each OF them
was attached a tiny piece Of cardboard on which
was an identifying mark
1T looks as if it might be Interesting "ork
collecting fish," said who was standins oY
watching him at his work.
1T is but it is hard work." he replied ST
ting on a bank or in a boat with pole and Ina
isn't the way The fish are TO be obtained only
by swimming, diving, exploding dynamite or
like methods. Besides the well known methods
of seining and casting nets, one OF the moss
fruitful ways of catching the little chaps that
live in the coral rocks, for instance. is quickly TO
break off a lump of coral about fifty pounds N
weight, and rapidly lift it into the boat making
every effort to catch the water flowing from Il
Then break it up. You will find all sorts OF
strange forms of life hidden away in the rock
"a few OF the rare specimens were taken by
lifting up old cOnch shells and draining them
into net or bucket. This was done for long
time with only moderate success until It was
found that many of the little fish remained IN
the shell, even if the water was drawn OUT
These were eventually obtained by breaking the
shell with hammer
"One Of the best aids a collector can have II
his work is a colony of groupers. These car
nivorous fish in poking around the bottom fra-
quentIy devour fish that are OF the utmost
rarity Whenever was caught it vas
promptly opened and examined to see IL it had
recently been feasting OFF some rare fish
'One of the most curious little specimens n
the collection lives in a burrow in the sand,
about three four feet under water He vas
one of the shyest fish seen OF caught He was
of a translucent emerald green. with a ca
nary head and neck He had big, glisteninS
black eyes. In length he was about three
inches. His burrow was about eight inches
deep and about as big around as ones middle
finger When undisturbed. he spent most Of
his time resting at the mouth of his hole, his
head out, looking around with the utmost
eagerness for little shaggy bits OF seawoSd TO
float by. He supported himself in this position
by means of a comparatively large pair Of sLs
fins. which he spreads out on either side on
the shoulders of the hole. When m0rsel of
seaweed came within his reach he dlvtel cut
after it with astonishing rapidity, grabbed L
| in his mouth and rushed back to his little den
with it.
| 1t was with great difficulty that he vas
caught. The bottom hard that IL vas
impossible to dig down under him with the net
and the least movement would frshtsu h.fn
| into the bottom of his hole. His capture vas
/ finally accomplished by laying the net down
| on the bottom inch from his door
way. When he made one of his little sorties
| after bit of weed, it quickly pushed over
/ the hole with the foot closing it effectively.
| When he returned to his hole he found hiIil-
self in the net instead. He was afraid Of every
| thing.
| His method OF housekeeping unique.
| Whenever particle of debris dropped into his
| hole he would take il in his mouth. come 70
| the opening with it and blow it out OF his
mouth. rather eject it. forcibIy enough 10
| carry it away six seven inches. Besides
| having such a curious bit of natural history