New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-13

There i more interesting study than that. Of
the habits Of fishes. and none more so than those
Of the nest OF home. building species There are
but few OF these a compared with the thousands
OF fishes known to science. but they make up in in
terest what they lack in numbers. Many OF these
nests are merely holes in the sand mud NJ the
bottom. while others elaborate affairs. requir-
Ing much time and considerable ingenuity con-
struct few Of them are intended as permanent
homes for their builders. but the great majority
are erected temporary shelter during the
spawning or breeding season. " a temporary home
and protection during some approaching catas-
trOphe % which instinct forewarns.
The most typical examples Of the spawning kind
are those built by black bass and salmon. which
are nothing but shallow holes which have been
scooped out of the sandy bottom by the fishes
After the eggs have been deposited in these nests
py the females and have been fortified By the
males the male black bass remains to guard those
deposited by mis- consort. but the male salmon
leaves mis- mates to their fate
Certain species Of catfish construct a nest about
elght inches by six This nest. which IL always
located In a spot where the water IS quiet and
there is plenty Of aquatic plants has a soft outer
envelope. and after the female has deposited her
eggs IN It the male hOvers over IT, forcing fresh
water through the mass by rapid vibrations of his
ms until after about week they are Matched
The lump-suckers. when the breeding season
arrives, prepare a nest by digging a nit betvaen
two stones at the bottom OF a shallow portion Of
the sea- In which the female deposits several hun
oieu thousand eggs, which tenderly watched
over by the male until hafcbed
One Of the most remarkable Of fishes IS the mud
nsh, which inhabts certain Of the rivers Of
western Africa. and. its name implies turks
at 'He DoIIon or these rivers In that region the
rivers are liable to periodical drouths When such
drouth Is imminent the fish retres TO deep water
ana eXcavates pit. in which it lies covering it,
self over with thick layer Of mud 1t can then
Dear with impunity the completes drying I'D Of the
rlVer- But the most interesting fact about the
creature Is that during time Of its voluntary i'm
prIsonment IL breathes air directly through an
aperture left In the cocoon. by means OF lungs
Just Ike land animal When the returning rains
dissolve the mud and Hberate the fish II breathes
Dy means Of gills. just like any other fish
For many years people living along the Nissis-
sippi and other Western rivers were puzzled bv
observing that after the first hard rain Of the an
tumn season which would partially fill up the
bayous which had been completely dried up by
the heat and dryness Of the summer months this
shallow water would be alive with catfish buffalo
and suckers. As these bayous would rot be full
enough to connect with the river until after a
number Of rains. many supposed that the FISH had
come down from the skies Researches OF scien-
lists proved however. that when the drouth began
the FISH burrowed deep down into the mud at the
bottom. where enough moisture would be retained
% sustain life. and hibernated until the first rains
Ioosened up the mud and permitted their escape
ms - undoubtedly the most satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION OF the raining down OF fishes and frogs
so often reported from various parts OF the world
In the Sargasso Sea lives a fish commonly known
as the marbIed angler OPetrophryne hfztriol Owing
TO Its peculiar structure II Is a Door swimmer and
1t therefore spends most OF its life moving SLOWLY
about on the bottom. among corals seaweed etc
which these fishes closely resemble In color ana IN
outline II cngs, too. to the floating masses Of
sargassum weed with its pedicuated fms and the
color markings Of the fish closely resemble the weed
Itself Not only does the weed thus furnish home
for this species. but the fish actually constructs
nest from IT and therein deposits its eggs.
This nest IS described as consisting Of a round
mass OF sargassum. about four inches IN diameter
To the superficial observer this would look ike a
| tangled mass OF seaweed floating in the water
| which IS a common sight. On closer observation
however. II becomes apparent that the object IS a
nest. the central part OF which IS bound up In thu
form OF ball by threads running in various direc
tons while the leaves and branches hanging loose
] " from the nest give It tho appearance Of being
merely mass Of floating seaweed. In the nest
and scattered through the bah will be found thou
sands Of eggs laid by the fish
The best known example Of nest building by
fishes Is that Of the stckleback. When the breed
ing season approaches the male begins 70 look
around IN search Of suitable site for his nest.
As soon such Is found he begins operations by
carrying water weeds and various other suitable
debris TO the spot. These TO form the founda-
ton He lays them down carefully and strews
over them little sand which he brings IN his
mouth. Nature has not left him unprovided with
cement. and I'm proof OF this the next step is to
glue the materials together. which IS accom-
plished by the little creature drawing its body
over tho structure and depOsiting n mucus which
seems % harden IN the This is the only
means taken to insure the stability OF the foUnda